I lied
by Heidi Mae
Summary: Alternative ending to Katerina, leading to a AU Delena mini fic. After talking to Katherine in the tomb Elena makes choice and comes up with a plan. Read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **I lied

**Summary:** AU set at the end of Katrina. Could turn it into a multi-chapter down the road. if you're interested let me know. I could work it into a plot-line. I hope you like...

**Rated:** T

**Disclaimer:** As always I don't own the vampire diaries or Damon..sigh...:(

**Set at the end of Katrina after Katherine finishes telling Elena her story. Canon up to that point.

* * *

"It's not just you you know." Katherine said coldly. "Klaus needs a werewolf too, Tyler will work of course he needs a witch but Bonnie should suffice and as for the vampire...hm...who to use."

"Caroline?" Elena gasped. "You were just going to hand all of us over?"

"Not necessarily to both of those assumptions. I'm tired of running that much I know. Whether or not I decided to hand you all over or break the spell on the moonstone and end it once for all was still undecided when I hit this town." Katherine replied flippantly.

"But then you had to stand in my way with Stefan..tsk, tsk Elena." Katherine hissed.

"You had your chance you betrayed him, compelled him to love you and let him think you were dead." Elena spat back. "What makes you think you deserve him now?"

"Please I never compelled him to love me. You can force people to do things and make them forget but you can't force someone to feel something they don't feel." Katherine said in a cold voice.

"I think we're done here. You told me about Klaus. I'm leaving." Elena said forcing herself to keep her voice calm and steady. She refused to cry in front of Katherine not ever.

"By the way the vampire I would have picked. Do you wanna know who it was going to be?"Katherine asked as Elena gathered her stuff.

"Not Caroline...that just wouldn't do. It wouldn't be tragic enough." Katherine voice trailed off. "I would have picked Damon."

Elena whipped around her eyes wide. "How could you..how. No you're lying you wouldn't have."

"I never loved him." Katherine laughed. "It was always Stefan. I told him that too. The same night you did I guess, how ironic. I heard that night ended with quite a snap."

Elena gasped she was finally starting to put that night out of her mind. Damon locking Katherine up for her and then helping Stefan save her had redeemed him in her eyes somewhat. Now Katherine was bringing it all back and she started feeling sick.

"You..you.." Elena stuttered, so Stefan was right, she realized slowly, Katherine had sent Damon off the deep end that night.

"He thought you loved him, he thought you were in the tomb. You lied to him. He spent 145 years in love with a lie." Elena said feeling an anger come over her remembering Damon's broken face the night she wasn't in the tomb.

"Well I am now." Katherine laughed dryly.

"Where you belong." Elena muttered angrily trying to digest this new information and how it was making her feel.

"I didn't break his heart that night." Katherine said. "You did. I simply told him the truth which he already should have known."

"Damon and I were just friends and he knew that. He came to me that night because _you_ hurt him. He was desperate," Elena deduced.

"That's not why he came to you." Katherine laughed. "Take off your stupid necklace and I'll show you why he came to you."

"No..I won't let you compel me." Elena exclaimed.

"It's the only way you're going to see it. It's the one nice thing I'm willing to do for you. You're going to die when Klaus comes here you all are. But he's going to die first to try to save you. You need to have this memory. I took something from you that I realize now I shouldn't have. I'm willing to give it back. Take off your necklace." Katherine said her tone serious and her eyes looked almost human.

She was morbidly curious at this point. Against her better judgment and knowing that both Stefan and Damon would probably kill her for this Elena took off her necklace.

"Go to sleep." Katherine said staring into her eyes.

Elena closed her eyes and fell into a strange sleep the dream started instantly but it was more vivid and real then anything she had ever dreamed before. She could see herself walking up the street to her house. But it wasn't her. The movements weren't her own.

"Damon?" She said seeing Damon leaving her house as she walked up. The voice that wasn't her voice asked him what he was doing here. Elena watched his face furrowed in deep thought.

"A failed and feeble attempt at doing the right thing." He offered.

"Which was?" She asked a slight curious edge to her voice.

"It doesn't matter. Let me take this." He said grabbing her things and setting them down on the porch for her.

'_It matters to me.'_ Elena tried to scream but instead she just stared at him looking slightly awed. It annoyed Elena how good Katherine was at mimicking her facial expressions.

"You know I came here wanting to destroy this town and tonight I wanted to save it." Damon said a bewildered expression on his face. "How does that happen?"

"I don't do good Elena." He continued before she could comprehend a though. "It's not in me."

"Maybe it is." Katherine said at the same time Elena thought, _yes it is I've seen it so many times. It's there Damon..._

"No that's reserved for my you and my brother and Bonnie. But tonight Bonnie saved me." He said a look of shock overtaking his handsome features.

"Why do you sound so surprised by that?" Katherine asked looking up at him in a way Elena was sure she would have.

"Because she did it for you." Damon said his walls down and his eyes completely vulnerable. Katherine gasped and Elena was sure it was the humanity Damon had just shown her. "Which means somewhere along the line you decided I was worth saving...and I want to thank you for that."

He leaned down and kissed her cheek and it was so tender and so sweet that Elena felt herself melt she could feel his lips on her own cheek. She looked up at him and he searched her face his eyes full of hope as leaned down and carefully touched his lips to hers.

Elena said she wouldn't have done it but she lied because at that moment she could almost feel his lips for real even through the dream even knowing it wasn't her and it felt so right. He kissed her more passionately holding her head carefully in between his hands. Her hair lacing through his fingers. She felt like a fire exploded through her body and wondered what it would feel like to kiss him for real. Katherine cringed for a moment and pulled away Elena wasn't sure why she wanted to do the opposite she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and not let go when the door clicked open and Elena opened her eyes gasping.

Katherine looked smugly at her as Elena quickly snapped her necklace back on.

"I..how could you...he thought,." Elena couldn't get out what she wanted to say because images of Damon and her fighting on the porch during the mayors funeral came to mind suddenly.

"_Your afraid now that Katherine's here I'm going to snap." Damon's voice floated into her mind."I don't need her for that."_

"_So you're telling me everything we've been doing these past few months meant nothing?"_

"Of course they didn't mean nothing." She whispered. "They meant everything."

"What was that? Talking to yourself now? Am I that bad of company?" Katherine scoffed.

"The worst company on the world." Elena muttered considering the irony in that statement. "I have to go find Damon."

"Wait you didn't hear the best part of my story yet. How Klaus killed everyone after I ran away from him. My entire family was slaughtered Elena. Don't take him lightly. " Katherine warned as Elena ran out of the tomb.

She exhaled and finally let the tears out once she reached the woods. Lettng the impact of everything Katherine said hit her. It wasn't just her in danger it was her and everyone she loved. She couldn't let that happen. She had to find a way to stop it. She fell to her knees images of Damon filling her mind. She loved Stefan she really did but she had lied to Damon that night. Their was something between them and it wasn't always Stefan. If it was they would got back together after Damon locked up Katherine in the tomb but Elena just couldn't she told Stefan it was because she didn't feel safe but he wasn't the danger anymore it was her and yet she still had no desire to reunite with him.

Something changed once they were apart for a while. Elena started feeling herself getting back to her. Despite all the danger surrounding her she actually felt a sort of weight of her shoulders without him. As much as she had loved him and still did always would..she felt like she always had to fight so hard for their love. In moments of actual calm times she felt like they were 'forcing' it. Always pretending to be normal pretending their lives and the complications between them didn't exist instead of facing them and becoming stronger they ignored them and it only pushed them further apart.

She knew she was just as much if not more to blame for this then him but the fact was the things between them, which for the most part consisted of Katherine and Damon were hard to face and impossible to talk about for both of them. Sp Elena ignored the fact that Stefan pretending he never actually loved Katherine was a lie or that the feelings she had for Damon were strictly platonic and she wasn't playing with fire by allowing their bond to deepen more and more.

She was in danger they were all in danger. It could be the end for any of them maybe all of them and she realized they couldn't hide anymore.

"Or maybe that's exactly what I have to do." She considered as she started running towards the boarding house hoping Stefan would still be at school a plan forming to mind. A plan she hoped he would go for. Hearts would be broken and lives would be changed but maybe just maybe they could survive.

She was out of breath when she finally reached the boarding house and took her time to calm herself down. She decided against knocking and just walked right in. She could hear voices in the living room and started towards them quietly.

"You remind me of Trevor." Rose was saying.

"Why?" Damon scoffed sounding offended. Elena smiled Damon was Damon no one else Rose had no clue what she was talking about.

"Your determination to protect her." Rose explained.

"I will protect her." Damon said his voice hard.

Elena walked in caustically pretending she hadn't been listening.

"Elena?" Damon turned around he looked like he had been deep in thought. "What are you doing here?"

"I did something...I need to talk to you." She said feeling awkward Rose was staring from her to Damon shifting on her feet.

"If you could go somewhere." Elena said looking at Rose dismissively.

"It's still daylight.." Rose said awkwardly.

Elena threw her a 'look'.

"I'll just go upstairs.." Rose said scurrying up the stairs in an obvious slow speed.

"What's going on Elena?" Damon sighed. "Shouldn't you be at school with my 163 year old brother."

Elena bit back a smile. "I skipped."

"Since when did you become a delinquent?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"I needed to get more information in Klaus, we hardly know Rose besides she kidnapped me. We don't know if we can trust her." Elena said in a whisper.

"She can probably still here you." he said mocking her loud whisper.

"I don't care anyway. Just go get your stuff we're leaving." Elena sighed.

"Come again?" He said looking bewildered and slightly amused.

"Klaus is more dangerous then any of us thought. It's not just me it's everyone, everyone I love is in danger." I sighed. "I'll explain it to you in the car let's go before schools out."

"Where are we going?" Damon asked cocking his head to the side.

"We're running away together." Elena said her face completely serious.

Damon stared at her silently his face unreadable.

"Today." Elena said impatiently.

"Elena...what are you doing?" He asked his voice low.

"I'm trying to save everyone I love you included. This is the only way., We can't kill Klaus and we can't evade him. He'll come here looking for me. If he knows anyone here helped me run he'll kill them. So if everyone assumes I ran off to be with you he has no reason to kill anyone here." Elena explained.

"So he comes after us." Damon said. "Then you're still in danger."

"I realize that but we'll be ready for him. We'll figure out a way to kill him or we'll just hide and hide well until we do. We have a better shot on the run then being sitting ducks here." Elena said.

"What about Stefan? He's going to think you left him for me." Damon said.

"I am." Elena said her voice quiet.

"To keep him and everyone else safe." Damon pointed out.

"Stefan and I broke up and never got back together Damon. There's a laundry list of reasons for that but you're on the top of it. I'm done lying, and I'm done pretending., I don't know what I feel for you. It's confusing to say the least. But I'm not going to keep fighting it. I can't anymore. I'm asking you to runaway with me Damon, _you _not Stefan." Elena sighed.

"I don't deserve you." He said his voice so soft she could hardly believe it was him talking.

She walked over to him and kneeled down so she was eye level from him.

"Don't you think I should be the one who gets to decide that?" She asked gently. "Damon... Katherine did something..."

"What?" He asked worry shading his handsome face as he glanced over her looking for any signs of damage.

Elena took a deep breath and put her hands on either side of his face.

"You do deserve me. You are good Damon it is in you, at least when it comes to me it is. I didn't miss all the things you did and they didn't mean nothing they meant _everything_. The way you came to me and approached me that night scared me because I was scared of my feelings for you. But I need to tell you I know what I missed now the most important moment of all of them...and I lied I would have kissed you back." She said watching his eyes start to water his lip quivering just slightly.

"You are worth saving Damon...to me you will always be." She finished slowly pressing her lips to his.

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_****Please review! **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Elena wasn't sure what to expect when she pressed her lips to Damon's. Kissing him was something that she secretly had dreamed about more then once. She had always assumed he would respond aggressively and passionately. The last thing she expected from his was for him to pull back. He turned his head avoiding eye contact with her.

"Damon." She whispered her eyes pleading with him to look at her.

"I am not good for you. Elena running off with me, that's the_ worst _thing you could do." He shook his head.

"No you're wrong." Elena shook her head. "The worst thing I could do would be to just give in. Give myself up to Klaus save all of you. That's plan B Damon."

"The hell it is." He said finally looking at her.

"We won't ever be able to come back. You realize this right? I mean maybe someday _if _we actually managed to kill Klaus which is a huge if, we could come back but by then everyone will hate you."

"I know." Elena sighed. "But they will be alive. You say you're not good for me, and maybe in some ways you're right. I'm human, you're a vampire. But it is what it is. I'm in it now it's not like I can just get out. The supernatural world is sort of like the mob in that sense."

Damon rolled his eyes and shook his head reminding her of old easier times between them for a moment. _That_ she could deal with forever if she had to. This living with all these secrets, lies and forbidden feelings on top of all the danger she couldn't continue to bare.

"Besides in a lot of ways you _are_ good for me Damon. You get me to lighten up when I need to. I can have fun and relax around you." She told him with a smile. "And you really can't deny that I am good for you."

"I thought I was the cocky one in this...what are we?" He asked.

"We have a lot of time to figure that out." Elena said.

"What if I want to know _before_ I agree to run off into the sunset with you?" He asked his trademark smirk back in place...It had been a while since she had seen it she missed it.

"_You_ are the one who just refused to kiss me." She spat out crossing her arms.

"I still should be. Elena we shouldn't do this." He said his voice a lot less committed then it was before.

"Damon what is our other option? Wait for Klaus to come here? Involve everyone in trying to kill him only to probably lose everyone anyway? If we take off and hide out we can research him. Try to get figure out how to kill him maybe figure out a way to dupe him somehow. I don't know. The point is when and if he finds out about me he will be looking for _us_ and I know and trust you more then anyone. You will make sure he won't find us unless you want him to." Elena sighed.

"You know she's right Damon." Rose said coming down the stairs. "Elijah is dead and if he told the others they would be here by now. Which leads me to assume Klaus does not know about Elena yet. You have a small window of time to make an easy escape."

"You have a point." Damon murmured. Elena felt her heart race with excitement he was about to cave any minute now. She knew he _wanted _to do this. She wasn't sure what exactly Damon felt for her but she knew he cared about her and it wasn't like he hadn't been trying to steal her from Stefan since the beginning she figured he would have jumped at this chance. His hesitation only showed her just how much he really was changing. He was putting her first she realized in a way he had been doing that for a while now. She was just to angry about what had happened that night and angry at herself for her feelings to really see it.

"Elena if we do this." Damon stopped and stared into her eyes. "That's it no turning back."

"I know." She said standing firm.

"You can't just change your mind and decide you want to come home." He said.

"I know." She said again.

"You can't decide you made a mistake and you want to go back to Stefan." He said his voice breaking just slightly.

"I know that Damon." She stressed. "Don't you think I _know_ that?"

"You've only been broken up for a few weeks." He said his eyes cold as he put his walls back up. "You guys do the two week break up and epic makeup scene every few months."

"That is not what this is." Elena sighed.

"Are you sure?" He asked trying to look annoyed but she could see a glint of a plead in his eye.

"Yes Damon if we do this it's me and you. I don't know what that means yet we'll figure it out but I'm not going back. I'm not her." Elena said looking frustrated.

"I know that." He said harshly.

"Then trust me." She said.

"Okay." He said pressing his forehead to hers she gasped thinking he was going to kiss her. He peered down into her eyes.

"But if we're doing this. We're doing it my way." He said staring down at her. She gulped and nodded feeling sort of intoxicated by his mere presence now that she wasn't pushing the feelings down they were a bit overwhelming.

Damon pulled back with out warning and started pacing.

"She needs to disappear without a trace." Damon said looking at Rose who nodded.

"Everything she owns gone." He directed. "Don't leave anything that she could be tracked with."

"Got it." Rose nodded.

"Can I leave a letter?" Elena asked.

"No." Damon said.

"I just want to explain..." Elena started.

"_No_. Elena if you don't want Stefan to look for you he has to hate you." Damon said.

"If he gets no word from me then he will assume the worst and be desperate to find me." Elena pointed out. "I planned on writing him an honest letter but encouraging him to move on and be happy."

"It's _Stefan_ we're talking about here. He will read and re-read every word in that letter until he can convince himself you are in danger and go crazy trying to find you." Damon said.

"I will tell him you ran off." Rose said. "I'll tell him the truth you can't hide your feelings for each other anymore and you don't want to sit here and wait for Klaus so you left together. It will hurt but it's better he hears it from me then has a letter he will read over and over again. "

"Okay." Elena agreed. "Why are you being so nice? I was kind of rude to you earlier..."

"You were anxious to talk to Damon maybe a being a bit territorial?" Rose smiled.

She could hear Damon scoff and found herself blushing.

"Thank you for doing this." Elena said. "For helping us."

"It's no problem. Let's get to you're house." Rose said. "You invite me in. Grab what you need and pack it up. Wait for Damon to come and get you tonight. I'll come clean out your room right after you leave."

"I want to go now." Damon said shifting impatiently.

"Are you kidding we had to tag team to talk you into this and now you're all antsy?" Elena rolled her eyes.

He just gave her a kind of crooked grin and she smiled back feeling butterflies in her stomach.

"Just wait until dark." Rose suggested.

"I might not ever see anyone again." Elena realized biting her lip.

"No turning back remember?" Damon said.

"I know, I'm not changing my mind. I just wish I could say goodbye." She sighed.

"You can't." Damon said.

"Thank you Mr. Sensitive, I feel much better now." She glared at him and shook her head before leaving with Rose.

* * *

"He's going to be a challenge." Rose turned and looked at her as they drove to Elena's house.

"Believe me I know what I'm in for." Elena smiled. "I can handle him."

"You may be the only one." Rose said."You get him to open up to care."

"He needs me." Elena said. "I get how that sounds but...it's like he came here a complete monster and through our friendship he changed. When Stefan freaked out and lost control for a while Damon was the one that stood up and was there for me _and_ Stefan. He was so close to finding his humanity again. Had Katherine not messed with his head that night...well it's not really her fault entirely. It was me that he had fallen for and _my _rejection that hurt him and after that he started to put his walls up again."

"Feeling again after centuries only to be rejected by the very person responsible for it. That would be a tough pill to swallow." Rose commented.

"I didn't even think of it like that." Elena said frowning.

"That doesn't make it you're fault though. You were with someone else. You didn't intend for him to have feelings for you. You clearly never intended to return them." Rose said.

"I think in some ways they were always there though." Elena said quietly. "There was always something between us. I was sort of drawn to him. But I tried to do the right thing and ignore it. I just can't anymore. It's selfish I know."

"No it's not. You had to hurt one of them. Because of you a homicidal vampire has managed to find his humanity how in the world could you not fall for for him?" Rose rolled her eyes and they pulled into Elena's driveway.

"Ready?" Rose asked.

''Yes." Elena said.

"Make sure you get anything in the house that is yours into you're bedroom. Pictures included." Rose directed.

"I have to take pictures?" Elena winced.

"Damon said untraceable. We can't leave anything a witch could use." Rose said.

"What about my family? That's how Bonnie.." Elena started.

"As long as Klaus doesn't find out you really are a Gilbert he should be okay." Rose sighed. "I will stick around do what I can."

"You don't have to do that for me..." Elena said her eyes wide.

"I actually sort of feel like I belong here Elena. Stefan has been very welcoming and you're friend Caroline is pretty fun. I..I've been running for so long but it was okay because I had Trevor. Now he's gone and I want to stay here and I want to help Stefan not just for you but because it's what Lexi would do."

"I know you kind of liked Damon." Elena said awkwardly.

"I knew his heart was with someone else. I would have shagged him but I wasn't tryingto pursue anything romantic with him." Rose said honestly.

"But you didn't..." Elena pressed.

Rose laughed. "No Elena I didn't shag him. Don't worry."

Elena smiled at her as she pulled into her driveway.

She held her breath, _here we go_, she thought.

* * *

Elena shut off her phone and left it for Rose to destroy with everything else. No need to to tempt herself. She hugged both Jeremy and Jenna for a little to long tonight. But she figured they would get it when they saw she was gone. They were going to be surprised to find everything completely cleaned out. She hoped it didn't hurt to much. But she would rather they hate her then die for her.

She packed up one large duffel bag of clothes and necessities figuring they could get stuff on the road. Luckily Stefan hadn't tried to stop by. He didn't seem to take the breakup seriously. He was acting possessive and protective again since ever since they had rescued her. True she hugged him and was happy to see him but she was actually heading towards Damon. Stefan kind of surprised her. She remembered feeling so guilty when she saw the deflated look on Damon's face and just let him think she was running for Stefan and not him.

She was glad Caroline had successfully manged to keep him distracted all day. The last person she needed to see was him. He could read her like a book. He would know something was up right away. She started getting nervous Damon wasn't going to show up when it was dark for a while and started biting her nails.

Finally the window opened and Damon stepped inside. He looked kind of nervous.

"Last chance to back out." He whispered.

"I'm not backing out." She said standing up and picking up her bag.

"Let me take that from you." He said taking it out of her arms their eyes locked as a weird type of deja vu ran through each of them.

He shook his head and dropped the bag staring at her intently.

She gulped afraid he was going to back out after all when he suddenly pulled her towards him and kissed her. She was stunned for a moment and then the fireworks went off and she kissed him back feverishly feeling the heat in her toes it was so damn good. _So this is what its like to kiss Damon Salvatore,_ she found herself thinking as his hand started running through her hair while his tongue explored her mouth. Finally he let her go so she could breathe and she looked up at him her eyes wide. The expression on his face was intense and made her feel weak in the knees.

"Thank you for choosing me." He said softly picking her bag back up and throwing it over his shoulder.

"You chose me too over Kathrine so thank you." Elena responded.

"That was not even a choice Elena. You're _real_." He said stroking her cheek.

She was speechless and just gazed back at him. She couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"Ready?" He said swooping her up into his arms bridal style.

"Let's go." She replied and he flew out her window holding her closely to him.

Her heart was pounding through her chest as they drove through Mystic Falls. She was freaked out someone was going to see them and try to stop them.

"Elena you're making me hungry." Damon whined.

"Shut up." She flushed. "Are you serious a racing heart makes you hungry?"

"Usually." He said honestly. "Yours makes me kind of horny too."

"Damon." She groaned.

"I'm just being honest.." He said they were out of Mystic Falls and she felt herself instantly relax.

"So where are we going?" She asked.

"You assume I came up with a plan that quick?"

"Didn't you?" She countered.

"First we get as far out of this town as we can. Then we go dump my car. Then we back track a ways and get a new car going the opposite way. This way if Stefan gets Bonnie to do a locator spell on you again he will follow our first trail and then lose us." Damon explained.

"Rose said she is going to try to be there for him and help him." Elena sighed.

"That's actually what he needs. He needs to be around other vampires so he can learn how to be a vampire and accept who he is." Damon said. "She will be able to keep his head on straight."

"She's a good person." Elena nodded.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to say goodbye to anyone." He said quietly.

"We have to do it right. I know that. They need to be angry at me and think I just took off. That's what Klaus needs to know. It sucks but it has to be done." Elena said.

"We really have to dump your car?" She asked.

"Afraid so." He said patting the dashboard. "I'm gonna miss her."

"Damon I'm sorry." She said her eyes wide.

"Elena." He laughed. "I don't care about the car. I get to be with you. Don't be sorry for choosing me. "

"I'm not." She promised taking his hand.

"So why now? Why did you choose me?" He asked looking so vulnerable she wanted to throw her arms around him.

"I did love Stefan. I never intended to fall for someone else especially his brother. He helped me through a very dark period and a part of me will always love him but I was really young when I met him. I mean I know I'm still young but in the last year I've grown up so much, the trouble is I grew into someone that didn't fit as well with him. When Stefan lost control on human blood my feelings for you started to intensify. We always had this thing between us but it was stronger and hard to ignore but then Stefan almost killed himself and I felt like he _needed_ me more and that leaving him for you would be too selfish and cruel. I made a choice then never to do that and forced it all down inside of me. "

"No _I did_. I need you more. He was eating bunnies and hanging out with humans long before you and he will after you. I felt like hell when you told me I'd lost you." Damon admitted.

She winced at the memory and continued. "I know that now Damon. When Katherine showed me the dream and I realized how _much_ I meant to you. I couldn't bury them anymore. My feelings just came pouring out and I just can't hide anymore."

"It didn't help that I kept messing up and pushing you away." He said frowning. "I decided to give up you know. I was going to leave you and Stefan alone. Then boom there you are."

"You were going to give me up?" She asked gently.

"You weren't mine to give up." He said. "It was time to face that. I knew I didn't deserve you."

"You do and that proves it." She said taking his hand and squeezing it.

"There is more to that story." He said in a soft tone staring ahead.

"What?" She asked curiously.

"Just wait, you'll find out the rest someday." He grinned glancing at her.

"Come on tell me now." She said.

"Tell you what?" He smirked closing the subject.

They drove in silence for a while. Damon seemed lost in his thoughts. Elena studied his face. His eyes were softer and his lips were curled slightly into a smile.

"So where are we going after our little diversion?" Elena asked after a while.

"You'll see." He said turning to stare at her his eyes studied her in that way that drove her crazy. "No one looks better in my passengers seat then you Elena."

She smiled at him. "Good you're doing the eye thing again. I missed it.

"I missed you." He said smiling back at her. "I'm glad I didn't really lose you forever. Not to get sappy but you mean a lot to me. I don't want to go back to a life without you in it."

"This is our chance to put the past behind us and just focus on the now." Elena suggested putting her head on his shoulder. She felt him lean down and gently kiss her head and closed her eyes allowing herself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

** Hey guys, I decided to go ahead and do a little mini-fic out of this. I'm aiming for about 10 chapters. This is strictly delena from here on out. I decided to add a little Rose/Elena because I really liked the scenes they had together in the last episode and _someone_ had to help them get away. No other characters from Mystic Falls will be in this one.

I hope you like it so far! Please review! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Damon made good time on the road. Elena was sound sleep beside him so he had no need to stop just yet. They would need to get sunglasses and hats. In the vampire world he had a name and quite the reputation and he realized Elena apparently did too. He had no idea where these supposed originals resided and he didn't want to take the chance of them being recognized.

The sooner he completed the diversion and got them to their destination the better. Keeping Elena safe was something he took more seriously then anything he had ever had before. He was ready to die for her when Klaus came to Mystic Falls. He didn't see any other way at that point and figured he had lived long enough. At least he had figured out what love really was even if it was unrequited.

When she came to him he was stunned. When she insisted it was _him _that she was choosing_ him _his mind couldn't believe it. At first he assumed she must have remembered his confession somehow but it wasn't even that. Katherine of all people was to thank for this. By bringing Elena back there she finally admitted she had feelings for him. He_ knew_ she did. He knew she was lying about that. He could see it in her eyes sometimes but he didn't know the extent of them. He had always just assumed they paled in comparison to what she felt for Stefan.

It was Elena's plan her desperate attempt and grasp at a way to save everyone and herself is what made Damon start thinking of things differently. Once she had left he had some time to sort out his thoughts. The facts were Damon was powerful, strong and had an evil past. He had pissed off lots of powerful people over the years. When he needed to hide he had a place to go. He knew he could keep her safe there and he knew she was right. They couldn't sit around and wait for the inevitable.

While at the time giving her up _seemed _like the right thing to do. He saw now that it was the worst. No one else in her life was better suited to keep her safe then him. If he had allowed things to play out as he planned even _if_ Elena survived Klaus after he died for her. It wouldn't be the last threat she'd encounter in her life. She kind of attracted trouble and she was always going to need him around to keep her safe.

He realized he had been acting like a martyr lately. Somewhere between the danger and self loathing over the mistakes he made that hurt her he started thinking he needed to let her go, let it be. He forgot what he _always _knew that he was better suited for her. Stefan smothered her flame and Damon wanted to ignite it. Dark is drawn to light and light is drawn to dark, he mused.

Damon smiled a cocky smile, she picked him, she wanted him. He couldn't _die_. He needed to keep them_ both _alive because she also _needed_ him. Him. Damon Salvatore was needed. He glanced down at her and stroked her silky chesnut hair.

"Now I just gotta make you love me." He said in a quiet tone to low for human ears as he continued to speed down the road.

* * *

"Wake up sleepy head." He said gently nudging her when they reached the town the would set up the fake trail in.

"Where are we." She said sleepily rubbing her eyes. "Walmart?"

"We have to get a few things." He said. "We're in North Carolina. There is an abandoned cabin west of here. Stefan and I hid out there once. I want him to think we went there and then kept going west."

"Why did you hide out there?" Elena asked.

"It's a long story." Damon said.

"So?" She quipped.

"We don't have time this trip has to be quick." He said as they walked inside. Elena surprised him by taking his hand. It felt good holding her small warm hand in his. It felt like she belonged to him.

"We need hats and sunglasses for when we're out in public." He directed clearing his thoughts and getting back to the business of keeping her safe. "And some sweatshirts and blankets."

"It's gonna be cold where we're going?" She asked.

"Don't worry I'll keep you warm." He winked.

She blushed and grinned at him. "I'm going to hold you to that Damon. Be warned I like to cuddle."

He smirked and took her arm pulling her close to him and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Good because I like to touch you."

He heard her heart race in response and smirked. He was enjoying flirting like the old days...but it was different now. It was more intense and it meant more. She wasn't just rolling her eyes and dismissing his comments with a dry laugh. She was _responding_ and judging by the sound of her fluttering heart she was enjoying it as much he was.

He manged to steer her through the store quickly and headed up to the cabin. It was pretty run down and dusty at this point. Elena started sneezing as soon as they got inside.

"Maybe we should just leave tonight." He guiding her back outside.

"It's okay we can clean it up. You want us to be here for a while so if she tracks us she does it here right?" Elena said blowing her nose.

"I wonder if she'll even_ do it _though." He murmured. "She doesn't like me but she's going to know you're safe and I'm gone so her little town is safe. I don't think she's gonna _want_ Stefan to find to us."

"You have a point." Elena said.

"Let's just keep moving. I want to get us safe as soon as possible I'm more concerned about us being out in the open and being able to be spotted then anything else." He said and she nodded. They headed back to the car.

He drove further west a few hours until he found a swamp to dump the car in. He took out their bags and she stood on the road staring at the car sadly.

"It's okay Elena, It's just a car." He said walking over to her.

"I know but I'm going to miss it. It reminds me of our trip to Georgia." She frowned.

"We get to make a whole bunch of new memories now." He said peering down at her.

"I know." She sighed.

"Close you're eyes I'll make it quick." He promised.

"Aren't you sad about it?" She asked.

"I.. No it's just a car." He scoffed. "I'm a vampire I'm not going to get sad over a car."

"But it's got so many stories and memories." Elena said. "I know you're going to miss it."

"Okay I'm going to miss her. She's been a trusty pal." He admitted.

"But the best memories I have are the ones with you in the front seat. The rest of them are just me driving around alone." He said quietly. "

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "That you were alone for so long."

"Hey I do a good sexy mysterious loner." He said casually.

"Not anymore now you're stuck with me." Elena quipped.

"_Well_, your company I don't mind so much." He drawled flashing his smile at her.

"Not the worst company in the world." She said with a soft smile.

"The best." He said swooping down and kissing her unexpectedly she swooned and he held her carefully one arm behind her head and the other around her lower back supporting her. He could feel her small arms wrapping themselves around his neck pulling him closer to her. He actually heard himself make a moaning, purring like growl tried to remember the last time he made _that _sound.

She was flushed and smiling at him when he pulled back and looked at her. Smiling in _his _arms her lips swollen from _his_ kiss. Her cheeks flushed with desire for _him_. He decided then and there that if every single moment in his miserable life was meant to lead him here then it was all worth it.

"I never know when you're going to kiss me." She said breathlessly.

He just smiled down at her again and this time leaned down slowly touching his lips to her and kissing her softly her hands started running through his hair and it felt amazing.

"I like it when I see it coming to." She giggled.

"Close your eyes Elena." He whispered kissing her eyes lids and leaving her standing there.

He moved in his fastest vampire speed pushing his car into the swamp and throwing their bags over his shoulder. Elena was still standing there with her eyes closed she jumped reacting to the noise of his car hitting the water with her human reflexes as he was already standing in front of her again.

"You did it already?" She said surprised.

"Don't be sad." He said tilting her chin up. "That signifies the start of our new now together."

She nodded and smiled at him he scooped her up right along with the two bags and started running.

"Oh my god." He heard Elena breathe as they whizzed through the woods as fast as he dared to go with her start out with. He doubted Stefan ever ran with her he was to boring for that.

"Are you scared?' He asked.

"No." She said squealing when he increased the speed a little. "This is amazing what a rush."

When they grew close to the cabin again he slowed down to a walk but kept her in her arms. His foot prints would disappear with the morning sun hers would not. When it came to surviving Damon knew how to do it better then anyone. Disappearing without a trace easy. Doing it with a _human... _well... it was a little more difficult. But he covered all his bases even if Stefan did somehow get smart enough to figure out Damon back tracked at the end of his fake trail. He wouldn't have a new trail to pick up and they would be long gone by then. Of course logically that was the reason. But the fact that he really didn't want to let her go made it a lot easier.

He reluctantly put her down outside the cabin.

"I need to make it look like we were in here for while." Damon said. "Stay right outside the door here okay?

"I'll just come in and help." She shrugged putting her shirt over nose.

"Just give me a few seconds to blow away most of the dust first." He said flashing inside. He grabbed an old blanket and whipped it around the room in vampire speed making it line a fan blowing away most of the dust and making it breathable for her inside.

"Okay come in." He said.

"You look out for me in like every way." She mumbled her eyes a bit bewildered as she stumbled inside.

He grinned glad she actually noticed it. She consumed his every thought and _most _of his actions over the last few months. He didn't think she saw any of it though through all the tension that had been between them.

"What do we do?" She asked.

"Just walk around." He said spilling a drop of booze on the ground,. "Sit down act like we've been hanging out in here."

She nodded sitting down on one of the blankets they bought on the ground against the raggedy old couch leaning her head against it. "Come sit next to me."

He smirked and sat next to her glancing sideways at her profile. "I could think of a more romantic setting."

She turned and grinned at him. "It's the company not the setting."

"You doing okay? This is a big move." He said gently.

"I am doing really great actually. I know it hasn't set in yet and I will eventually probably feel sad and miss everyone, but right now this is like...this is the most exciting thing I've ever done and I'm loving it." She said smiling genuinely at him.

"So do we have time for the story of this place?" She asked.

"It's not a nice story. As far as I'm concerned. Let me drum up an evil Stefan story for you instead."

"I want to know." She said defiantly.

"Why?" He sighed. "It's over between you guys right? Why do you care?"

"You just said it involves you to Damon." She pointed out. "You got me all curious now."

He sighed and sat up. He wondered if she was starting to realize how wrapped she had him around her finger.

"Stefan had set up roots near here a long time ago..right before he went back to Mystic falls for a short time in the fifties. I as always showed up to mess with him. He was dating a girl a human girl. I thought it was a _terrible_ idea. Stefan never leaned to control his blood lust. He wasn't going to be able to handle the mix of sex lust and blood lust." Damon started.

"So you were worried about him?" Elena asked.

"_No_. I just thought it was a dumb move and didn't want to hear him whine about killing her later on." Damon defended.

"Mm hm go on." Elena smirked.

"I decided to tell her _well_ show her." Damon shrugged.

"What did you do?" Elena asked her eyes wide.

"I told her Stefan had a surprise for her in the woods and brought her to him." Damon said. "While he was feeding off a deer."

"Oh my god that's so_ ewe_..was she terrified?" Elena said incredulously.

"I told you it wasn't a nice story." He defended. "She freaked out. I manged to get a hold of her but Stefan wouldn't let me compel her. He said it was for the best and she was better off without him blah, blah, blah."

"But she went home and told her dad and a lynch mob came after us." He said.

"A lynch mob?" She said her eyes wide.

"Torches and everything. Third time for me at that point." He smirked. "Anyway we hid out here for a while."

"Whoa." Elena said. "That was kind of a dick move."

He chuckled. "I'm rubbing off on you already. It could have been worse. I'm not kidding he wasn't ready, If he killed her he never would have forgiven himself. It would have broke him."

"I get that. You did it because you cared." She smiled happily.

"You know what I care about Elena?" He said scooting closer to her. "_You_, that's why uh when Stefan told me you were sharing blood with him it freaked me out a little. That was really dangerous. I know he's a lot older now..."

"Damon, I don't know what he described but I was just giving him a drop of blood a day so he could build a tolerance. I stopped after we broke up and we weren't _sharing_ blood." Elena said quickly.

"Oh he didn't really..make that very clear." Damon mumbled feeling a huge sense of relief wash over him. If and when she decided to really experience _that_ it would be in the right way with the right vampire.

"So what happened then after you guys left here?' Elena said awkwardly bringing him back to the story.

"Stefan was pissed at me. He accused me of driving her away to get back at him for Katherine. He decided to go to Mystic Falls and reminisce. I went off on my own for a while."

"I can't believe I never saw it." She mumbled.

"Saw what?" He asked.

"Stefan loved her all along he never stopped. How often did he come back to reminisce?" She asked her mouth turned downwards slightly. "I should have known. I think I always _knew_ but we just got so good at pushing everything under the rug."

"What about you though?" She asked suddenly her brown doe eyes sweeping his face.

"What about me?" He asked.

"Did you come back and reminisce?" She asked.

"No, I came by a few times when Stefan was here. To make sure he didn't expose himself. It's not safe to keep going back to the same town even if it is yours, _especially_ if it's yours. I knew I couldn't do anything then. I had to wait and I just decided to live my life until the time came. I didn't want to sit around and pine away for her. I wanted to stay strong and able to keep up with her." Damon explained

He took a blood bag from his bag and a protein bar and sports drink for her. He drained it slowly and she ate quietly lost in thoughts.

"Does a part of you still love her?" Elena finally asked looking nervous.

"No, Elena because I never did. I was chasing a lie. It good _s_o good in my head that I believed it. You know she compelled me? All the time, to go away or leave her alone. To go to sleep if I tried to talk to her about things. I remembered it all when I turned but I was too distraught to believe it. I don't know if Stefan loved her or loves her or whatever. But I _know_ I never did,. It was an obsession but that's not love." He continued.

"No more lies." She said leaning and kissing him. "I don't know what us is going to be exactly yet but I know it won't be about any lies or compulsion or even our past. Just me and you Damon."

He held her close enjoying the feeling her her head on his shoulder but winced at her statement. He finally had her with him alone on the road even. For who knows how long it could be years. She admitted to having feelings for him. But if he told her he loved her now it could be to much to soon. But if he _didn't_ it was a lie and worse compulsion which she just said she knew wouldn't be between them.

Damn it, he swore internally.

* * *

_***Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone! I hope you liked the update and the book line I threw in for fun. :) Please review! **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

* * *

They were back on the road while it was still dark. Elena jumped up rather eagerly into Damon's arms this time excited for more running. It was exhilarating and it made the whole running away thing ironically literal. She was just as anxious as Damon seemed to be to get to this safe place he was so confident about. Still for the first time in a long time she felt safe. Over the last year there was always one big danger after another. It was an amazing feeling being safe and she _knew_ she was. She was with Damon and she knew he would always protect her.. A year ago she would have laughed at herself for even thinking that but now it was the one thing she knew for sure. The one thing she was completely confident in.

Elena had been pretending to be asleep in the car in the way back from Richmond, because the tension was just so heavy. Stefan and Damon were talking in low voices she didn't catch most of what they were saying, but she did hear Damon swear to Stefan that he would always protect her no matter what happens. She knew he would never break that promise. Damon wasn't a man er vampire that made promises often or swore anything to anyone really. But when he _did_ make a promise he kept it. It was a quirk of Damon's she found to be the most appealing. Trust was a big thing with her. It was something she let slide often with Stefan and over time it only added to the rift that ultimately formed between them.

"How long have we been going?"She asked after a while getting a chill.

"Almost 2 hours now. You doing okay, To cold?" He asked slowly to a stop and setting her down to look at her carefully.

"We better get a car." He said.

"But we're making better time this way." She said trying to stay still and not shiver.

"You're freezing." He said shrugging off his jacket and putting it on her. She immediately felt a sense of warmth from the oversized leather coat. She felt a little giddy feeling in her chest wearing it. She looked up to see him gazing at her and they locked eyes. The giddy feeling erupted into butterflies.

"You look good in that." He smirked.

"Thanks." She smiled and impulsively threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He didn't try to pull away from her this time he moaned and kissed her back just as eagerly. She was feeling a burst of excitement being the one who made the first move this time. She might have even surprised him a little. Something about Damon brought out a a wilder side of her she hadn't even realized was there before.

"As much as I love these impromptu make out sessions...we have to keep moving." He said hoisting her back up into his arms again. She held on and closed her eyes ready for him to start running when he surprised her with a gentle soft kiss on the lips right before he took off.

"You always have to get the last kiss in." She joked and he chuckled before racing off into a run.

They stopped near a gas station and Damon set her down and turned to look at her.

"We need a car." He said.

"I know it's getting colder." She shivered and pulled his jacket around her tighter. "Where are we?"

"Ohio, listen to me Elena. I need to get us a car." He said again his face serious.

"Oh." She said softly casting her eyes downward as she realized he meant he needed to compel someone to give them a car.

"Look Elena, we need car to get to where we need to go to survive okay? I'm not hurting anyone, I'm simply persuading someone to be a _little_ generous with their car." He offered.

"Not really." She groaned. "We're basically stealing someone's car and then what leaving them stranded in the cold?"

"I'll give them a twenty for a cab." He offered with a smirk.

"I'm going to wait inside." She rolled her eyes and took a breath heading inside to stock up on road junk food. She wasn't a fan of this but Damon was right they needed a car. One that couldn't be traced back to them. Truth be told she was satisfied with the fact that he wasn't feeding from people on the road. She was happy with how much he had changed and she didn't expect him to completely change his ways. She didn't even want him to. He was pretty much in charge here anyway, she mused, This may have been her plan but he was the one that knew what he was doing so she couldn't judge him for using his abilities to help them.

Damon was waiting outside in a black jeda she hopped in she noticed a young man in a suit at the pay phone and attempted to just put it out of her mind quickly.

"Don't worry he's got money. He'll be just fine." Damon said driving quickly out of the parking lot.

"It's fine, I get it." Elena she said. "You didn't hurt anyone. I'm not upset about it."

"Really? Be honest full disclosure remember?" He said glancing at her.

"I am being honest." She said. "I trust you to keep me safe and if you tell me something has to be done then I get it. Or I least I will always _try _to get it, In this case I do."

"Thank you." He smiled softly before shifting his eyes back to the road.

"I haven't been honest with you about everything." Damon said.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"It's about what we were talking about earlier, how I was ready to give you up? ...but I had to tell you how I felt about you first, so I went to you and I did and I told you I didn't deserve you but he did." He said slowly.

"When did you..I don't remember this.." Elena looked confused and then glanced down at her necklace and took a breath. "Why did you...you compelled me?"

"I just had to tell you once and I didn't want it to eat away at you or make you feel guilty. I was trying to do the right thing." He frowned.

"I can't believe you did that." She said in a soft voice. "You were just going to walk away?"

"No worse I was going to continue to torture myself from the sidelines keeping you safe." He admitted.

"Damon...I wish things were different, I _hurt_ you..."

"Not on purpose and not as bad as I hurt you." He said in a tight voice. "I didn't deserve to have you after all the things I'd done. I still don't."

"Just the fact that you were willing to give me up because you wanted what you thought was best for me proves how much you do. Besides I should be the one who gets to decide that right?"

"I just wanted to protect you." He sighed.

"You don't have to protect me from yourself." Elena said quietly. "I trust you so you should trust yourself to."

"I do now. I was going through major martyr moment that night. It won't happen again." He promised.

She glanced at him and smiled feeling a sense of relief wash over her. The idea that Damon could walk away if he really thought it was best for her freaked her out. She didn't know why she was this needy with him already. But the very idea of it just scared her. She needed him around her. She was doing okay away from home, she missed everyone but she was actually happier now then she had been at home. As long as she was with Damon she knew she would be okay.

"So you're not upset?" He asked looking surprised.

"I can't be mad at you for doing something so selfless. I..I'm sorry that I made you feel like you didn't deserve me. After everything you have done for me Damon I would be blind not to see how much you've changed. The past is the past." She said slowly then looked down at her hands and took a breath.

"But..I need to know you meant what just said. That you wouldn't give me up again. I just need to know that at the end of all this when we kill Klaus. You're not going to leave for my own good." She said her words coming out in a nervous rush.

"I meant it Elena. That was _before _I made out with you remember?" He smirked.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Be serious."

"I won't ever walk away from you now. Now that I know what it's like to have you with me. I couldn't ever leave you." He said in a serious voice.

"Good." She said letting out a breath her body relaxing. He put his arm around her and she scooted closer to him.

"Could you...make me remember?" Elena asked.

"As far as I know you can't reverse memory loss compulsion." He said.

"But Katherine gave me the porch moment. It was like I was there but I wasn't there. I was stuck in Katherine's body just watching everything happen." Elena explained.

"Did she put you to sleep first?"

"Yeah." Elena nodded.

"She was controlling your dream." He said looking thoughtful.

"Can you do that?" Elena asked.

"Yes." He said glancing at down at her.

She took off her necklace and closed her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not going to do it right now." He laughed.

"Why not?" She asked stubbornly. "I bet you would if I would have got mad."

"Don't make bets with me Elena, I always win." Damon smirked.

"Come on please." She asked.

"I basically summed up what happened." He shrugged.

"I don't want the summed up version. I want the real one." She pouted.

"I will do it then. As soon as you are safe and sound and tucked in next to me okay?" He relented.

"Deal." She agreed happily. The necklace was still in her hand she glanced at it and then tossed it in her purse.

"Why did you do that?" He asked.

"I don't need it with you." She replied.

"Just keep it on for now just in case." He said

"I don't want to wear it, it represents the past." She said picking it up and taking the vervain out of the locket. She shoved it in her pocket and then returned the necklace to her purse.

"New something to put vervain in." He said outloud she glanced at him curiously.

"I'm adding it to the list of supplies we need to stop and get." He explained.

"My pocket's fine isn't it?" She asked.

"Not really you could lose it and we kind of need it, it's all we got. I didn't take any with me. But I do have Ric's stake gun." He said.

"I have a few vervain darts in my purse." Elena said.

He laughed. "Why..no actually let's start with how?"

"I stole them from the boarding house a few nights ago. I was going to talk to Katherine I figured I could end up needing them." She shrugged."I know she's immune to vervain but a large dose might slow her down. I have a stake too."

"My little slayer." He smirked looking amused as she pulled a small wooden stake out of her purse to show him.

They drove for a few more hours listening to music and talking before stopping for lunch and a bathroom break. Damon insisted they wear hats and sunglasses just in case but she felt really stupid considering it was snowing here.

"Add winter hats to the list. Scarfs would hide our faces too." She said hugging his jacket tight against her as they ran back to his car.

"Done." He said.

"You really have everything we need in your head?" She asked.

"It's a vamp skill. Photographic memory." He shrugged opening her door for her, she smiled and he couldn't help but steal a kiss from her.

"So where are we now?" Elena asked as they got quickly back on the road.

"Getting closer." He said. "Illinois."

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Wisconsin." He smirked.

"Why?"

"I have a safe place there. No one knows about it. The location is ideal. It's a Midwestern small town with a almost non existent crime rate. IE no vamy activity. I spent years on this place." He said.

"So you built it?" She asked.

"Sort of. You'll see." He said.

"Why did you build a safe place?" Elena asked stifling a yawn.

"Why don't you sleep for a little bit. I'll tell you the story about the place when we get there. It's easier to explain if you can see it." He said.

"Are you going to..." She asked hopefully.

"Not right now. I want you to get some sleep." He laughed and shook his head.

* * *

Elena woke up to Damon gently rousing her. They were in the driveway of a large house. It was really old fashioned looking and had a huge yard. She stretched and was shocked to see she had slept for almost six hours straight. That long run took more out of her then she thought.

"This is it?' She asked looking around they were on a block and she could see other houses around.

"Not exactly." He said taking her arm and walking towards the house. "Don't say anything."

She nodded and swallowed he rang the bell.

"Can I help you?" An older man answered the door.

"My girlfriend and I are lost and our phones died we were wondering if we could use your phone? We were coming to meet a friend out here." Damon asked.

"Sure, come in. I may know your friend what's his name?" The man asked.

Damon crossed the threshold and stared into the man's eyes.

"You won't remember us ever being here. You won't let anyone else you don't know in the house ever again." Damon said staring into his eyes. The man repeated him numbly and stumbled up to his bedroom.

"I'll be right back." Damon said. "I'm going to get our stuff and then dump the car. Wait for me in the basement."

"Okay." She said he was out in a flash and she moved in a daze. Damon calling her his girlfriend was stuck in her mind, She loved the sound of it rolling off his tongue. She knew it was just to score an invite...but they were kissing, they were on the run together, they liked each other well more then liked obviously. She was even wearing his jacket. She kind of was his girlfriend, she thought with a burst of excitement. She couldn't remember ever being this giddy over anyone and she didn't hate it...

The basement was just your common large cellar with a laundry room a large open area all cement. She wasn't getting what was going on. Did Damon build this house? He was back with all there stuff a few minutes later it took him a couple of trips and she was stunned at all the groceries and bags of stuff he bought.

"When did you get all this stuff?" She asked.

"When you were sleeping." He explained. "It was faster that way."

"Did you compel it all?" She asked her eyes wide.

"No." He scoffed holding up his American express card. "I meant in and out of the store faster."

"Did you get blood?" Elena asked.

"No I'm going to eat you." He rolled his eyes and pointed to a large cloth bag.

"Now come on." He said taking her arm. "This is an old house it was built in the early 1900s. Some old houses had hidden rooms in them. That's where they would keep the valuables."

"This place has one?" She guessed.

"Yup." She took her arm and walked her into the laundry room pushing the washer aside to reveal a door. "This one was underground."

"Whoa." She said kneeling to look down. "It's far down there."

"I'm going to throw our stuff down first then we'll jump down okay?" He said.

"Okay." She said taking a nervous breath.

It didn't take long for him to toss the stuff down. He held her securely and climbed down standing on a ridgy edge she hadn't noticed. He reached up with his free hand and shut the managed to put the washing machine back and shut the door.

"Now we have to jump." He said "You ready?"

"Go." She closed her eyes and they dropped.

Damon landed on his feet easily it was pitch dark, Damon handed her a flashlight and she flashed it around. They were in what appeared to be a small tunnel underneath the house.

"Where's the room?" She asked looking around wide eyed.

"It's right here." He pointed to a large stone door on the side of the wall and pushed it in. It was pretty much empty inside expect for a bunch of canned foods. The ground and walls had been cemented making it a sturdy room.

"There's a wine cellar too." He said they pointing to a door in the room. It was filled with wine bottles inside.

"Talk about aged." He moaned happily grabbing a bottle.

"So we are staying in here?" Elena asked.

"Not exactly. I hid out down here when a witch friend of mine owned this house a long time ago. While I was down here I started a little project." He said picking up a wine rack and moving it to reveal another door.

"This is crazy." Elena said wide eyed.

"This is the cool part." He said holding his arms out for her she jumped into them instantly. He jumped down and flipped a light on right away. Once Elena's eyes adjusted she couldn't believe it. The room was actually really big it was all cemented but he had some throw rugs on the ground. It was set up like a hotel room with a large bed, a dresser, a small kitchenette area, and a table.

"You did this?" Elena asked amazed.

"When I was first hiding here I just dug the hole. But then I came back later when everyone was building bomb shelters and cemented it, added ventilation vents. In the 70's I needed a break for a while. I compelled a bunch of people to set it up with electricity, plumbing the whole works." He said.

"It's amazing." She breathed.

"I know I'm awesome." He smirked.

"The best part is we're to far underground for anyone to hear us or any vampire to be able to snuff out your scent or your heartbeat." He said taking her arm and walking through the space. He had a bathroom and a storage room full of books and some food. He had a freezer plugged in and a closet with the hot water heater and switch breaker. He flipped on the hot water heater and went to start running the water.

"It's like an apartment built under a house." Elena followed him in wonder. She still couldn't believe he had managed to pull this off.

"I'm glad you like it. It's gonna be home for a while." Damon smirked

"This is perfect, but it is a little cold. Do you have a heater?" She asked shivering slightly she was really glad he thought to buy blankets and warm clothes.

"I bought some space heaters. I'll get them going and get our stuff. Why don't you take a warm bath? I'll have the place warm and cozy for you when you're done." He said suggested starting the bathwater for her.

"Okay." She said standing still gazing at him suddenly. They did it. They made it, they were here. She felt herself starting to smile just as Damon turned to look at her. She was pretty sure he was thinking the same thing she was. He smiled back looking sort of amazed at first and then he just looked really happy. She ran towards him and he engulfed her in his embrace.

* * *

Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone! I hope you liked the update.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Elena decided there was something to be said for old fashioned things as she sprawled out in the large claw foot tub. She wondered how Damon got all this furniture down here in the first place but she figured vampires had their ways. It felt so good to relax in the hot bath she closed her eyes and let herself just zone out for a while. She was feeling a little spoiled Damon had stocked up on bathroom toiletries and even thought of bubble bath, candles and lotions for her and even now as she pampered herself he was out there putting everything away. Truth be told she was kind of enjoying being spoiled.

She stayed in the tub until the water started getting cool and wrapped herself up in a big bathrobe Damon had bought and brushed her hair out. He had two space heaters running and it was a lot warmer. The bed as all made full of blankets and pillows and everything was put away already.

Damon was in the kitchen when she walked out he seemed to stop in his tracks for a minute and stare at her.

"You'll have to excuse the wet rat look." She joked.

"You look beautiful with your wet hair and you're rosy cheeks." He murmured.

She felt a rush of heat through her body and was pretty sure her cheeks just got 'rosier'

He walked over and handed her with a cup of hot chocolate.

"Damon, thank you." She smiled tip toeing up and giving him a soft kiss.

"I promised I would keep you warm." He quipped heading back into the living area.

"Well your succeeding." She said following him, _and it's not the hot chocolate and heaters_, she added silently.

"These space heaters are top notch." He said motioning towards them, He bought one that looked like a fake fire place that he set up near the bed and another large one with a temperature dial on it that he had set up in the corner of the room off the rug.

"The top two drawers are yours." He said pointing to the dresser. "I hung the rest of your clothes in here."

He opened a closet near the bathroom that she missed before. It was full of clothes half hers and half Damon's there bags were tucked away in the corner and whatever blankets he hadn't put on the bed were folded up in there. There was a bunch of games, a small TV and VCR and a box of movies on the top shelf.

"The TV and movies were here. I brought my lap top with too but I bought the games, I figured we can't spend every second researching Klaus." He explained. "Most of the food is in the kitchen and our inside storage room. I do have a few things stored upstairs that wouldn't fit anywhere, but it will stay cold up there."

"You really thought of everything." She said as she followed him into the the storage room where she saw the shelves were now stocked up with dry and canned food items. The freezer was full of blood on one half and food for her on the other side.

"We should have enough food and blood to last at least half a year if not longer." He said.

"What do we do if run out of supplies?" She asked.

"I'll go get us more. I'm going to need to go above ground every few months to check out the town make sure we're still safe here." He explained.

The idea of him leaving scared her. Mentally she decided she wasn't going to let him go anywhere without her but she decided to wait and cross that bridge when they came to it.

"Wow Damon." She said sipping on her hot cocoa as they walked back into the living area and sat down at the table. "I'm so impressed, you thought of everything."

"I hope so." He murmured. "I never brought anyone here with me and I never stay much longer then a month. I wanted to make sure you didn't feel trapped in here."

"It's perfect and actually I feel safe which is a free kind of a feeling as opposed to feeling trapped." She told him.

"You _are_ safe here." He said reaching for her hand. "I'm confident about this place. It's never failed me."

"What made you decide to build it?" She asked.

"The story of this place goes way back to when I first turned." He said softly his eyes distant.

"Tell me." She said softly reaching for his hand.

"Later." He said flippantly getting up and walking to the kitchen. "You must be starving let me cook you something. Show off my sexy domestic side a little."

She walked up behind him and crossed her arms.

"Damon...I want to hear it." She said.

"I know. I just don't like talking about it." He sighed. "I wasn't the strong and able vampire then that I am now."

"I would never judge you for being weak Damon, none of us are always strong." She said quietly. "Everything that happened to you made you who you are for me to know today. I'm here to listen to whatever you want to tell me."

He nodded and put a pizza in the oven. He took a breath before opening a wine bottle and they sat on the kitchen counter next to each other passing it back and forth a few times.

"After I turned I fell into a depression. I didn't want to be a vampire." He started.

"Stefan made you." She nodded.

"Yeah, well he started enjoying the lifestyle right away. I on the other hand hated it and refused to eat." He continued.

"You did?" She asked surprised.

"I just wanted to die." He sighed. "I was only going to turn for her and she was dead so what was the point? On top of that I realized she had been compelling me too but I couldn't admit it to Stefan. He was kind of a dick when he first turned, kind of like me I guess."

"You're not a dick Damon you're just an ass sometimes as defensive mechanism" She interjected in a soft tone.

"Usually, sometimes it's just for fun." He smirked. "Anyway..."

"He kept urging me to join him but I refused. I would only eat when he forced me too and brought me blood. I suppose I should have left but I stayed with him. I found out about Katherine before we left town and decided not to tell him. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the information yet because a part of me still wanted to die and I wasn't sure at that point if she was worth waiting for." He explained.

"You weren't always sure about her?" Elena asked her eyes wide.

"No..I was much smarter then. I hadn't started obsessing over her yet that came later. I considered many times just offing myself. I didn't want it. But Stefan was already so out of control I didn't know how bad he would get if I died." He sighed.

"So you stayed alive for him?" Elena guessed somehow she wasn't surprised. There were sides to Damon no one really saw but her. She could see the man that cared behind his walls, she always could in some ways.

"For a while, Eventually I started feeding with him a bit. I didn't kill at first though. I enjoyed the women and the power. We actually had a few fun years together." He said smiling slightly. "But jealousy ripped us apart. I had better control then Stefan probably a result of forcing myself not to feed for so long. Stefan couldn't feed without killing and I could usually..._not always_. But if I wanted to I could refrain from killing and compel the victim to forget. We started to fight then emotions and bitter feelings that had been pushed aside started to surface. Things got bad we did some things to each other...one night Stefan and I were at a party and he drained some young girl. I buried the body for him and was caught by her father who was a slayer."

"Oh my god what happened next?" Elena asked her eyes wide and transfixed on Damon's intense blue eyes. She had a whole new view of Stefan now. He was a completely different person now then he was then and she felt like she never really knew him after all.

"I was weak it had been almost a week since I had fed. It must have been at least ten men that ended up grabbing me. I was held in a cellar and tortured for months. It was endless agony they were savage. Somewhere in the middle of all of it the fighter inside me came out and I wanted to live. I fought back eventually I was able to escape. With the help of this witch that came to my aid and brought me here. I have no idea why, his name was Benjamin he was nice to me. No one had been nice to me for a long time. I dug this hole and swore never to be out of control again. I would never let anyone hurt me again and I would never trust anyone ever again. I decided I hated humans and humanity in general. It got me nowhere. I started blaming Stefan for the life he forced on me. I decided the ultimate revenge would be getting her out of the tomb and walking away with her."

She sat silently taking it all in trying to imagine what he had been through. A whole new level of understanding washed over her. It all fit, she always new Damon had a troubled and dark past that it was more then just Katherine, that something drove him. Even in his worst moments she saw it in his eyes. Saw him and the feelings he tried to hide away and pretend he didn't feel.

"So it was here you changed became.."

"A savage killer?" He said raising an eyebrow as the oven timer went off.

Any normal human being would be shaking with fear but all she could do was watch in wonder as he removed the pizza from the oven and turned it off. Such a mundane and normal task for the dark conversation.

"Pretty much I left here with a purpose and stopped trying to hold on to my humanity. I let it go." He said leaning against the opposite counter and staring at her his eyes seemed to be reading her face. She gazed at him with understanding and smiled just enough to assure him she wasn't afraid of him.

"The rest is bloody and messy and I don't want to put those stories on you. I don't want you to think of me like that, but you have to always understand it's in me and I might not always be able to shield you from it." He said frankly.

"I know Damon." Elena nodded. "I don't need a laundry list of everything you've done...but this place. You kept coming back here. Why?"

"The next time I came here it was after I suddenly started feeling guilty again and I couldn't shut it off. I did something really bad to someone Stefan cared about. No one including him knew about this place. That's when I started cementing it and stuff." He explained cutting the pizza and motioning her to join him at the table.

"It changed then... this place. I didn't think about revenge or Stefan or Katherine or even about the demon I was here. I was just Damon for a while." He said.

"So this place became your recluse?" Elena said wide eyed.

"Yeah when blood bags started coming out it was perfect. I'd stay about a month usually." He shrugged.

"Why would you leave? I mean just running out of blood? Or..."

"I would start getting lonely start longing for the life I wished I would have had. That's when I'd shut it off and come back up for more destruction." He smirked. "I'd be Fraud's dream subject don't you think?"

"Part of the reason you killed was because you longed to have a normal life and you were jealous." Elena said quietly.

"That's not what I said." He said sharply.

"I know." She said softly but she always knew the deeper meaning behind his words she just did, she couldn't explain it. She looked at him her eyes reaching out to his and then his face softened.

"What is normal anyway?" Elena asked taking a bite of pizza.

"Human for starters." Damon rolled his eyes.

"Whatever..not in our town." She laughed. "Besides ask anyone if they think they are normal and they will say no. You just figure out what works for you. It's all about balance Damon. You came here to be human and you were a vampire up there. Two separate versions of yourself, but then when you came to Mystic falls and got to know _me_ those two versions started to merge together. You can find your own normal in that."

"Aren't you the one that encouraged your former boyfriend to play the normal high school teen with you?" Damon asked curiously.

"The supernatural stuff was tough on us because I never liked the way he handled the danger we were in. The normalcy dates were about us struggling to try and _make it_. I tried to blame the supernatural stuff for the tension and distance that had started forming between us. But it wasn't the supernatural stuff that's just a part of my life now and I have finally come to accept it." She took a breath. "It was the secrets, the things we didn't say, the resentments we kept bottled up, and of course Katherine, _You_. Our love just wasn't strong enough to handle it. It wasn't that kind of love. It was a fleeting teenage love just like we both decided to make it be. So neither Stefan or I can be surprised it didn't last we didn't ever find our own normal we just faked it."

She swallowed a gulp of wine as realization hit her with the words. The love she had with Stefan wasn't meant to last and it didn't. She didn't love him anymore not in any kind of romantic way the innocent teenager she used to be would always love him in a way. But it really was over and she really was free.

His eyes widened and he smiled happy with her words and she quickly corrected herself she wasn't free. She was never going to be free. Because she was falling for _Damon_ and it wasn't fleeting she wasn't a dreamy headed teenage girl anymore. The feelings she had for Damon were raw and wild, confusing and intense but at the same time comfortable and sweet, warm and impossible to resist.

"We're always going to be real." He said his voice serious.

"Yes we are." She agreed she felt a gush of wind and the next things she knew she was laying on the bed with Damon next to her she turned and faced him and his hands started stroking her face, her hair, her back. It was so warm and loving she felt like she was going to melt.

"I should have never compelled you to forget." He said his eyes boring into hers. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." She said staring back she allowed him to compel her to sleep and woke up in her bathroom. Just like with the porch incidents her she couldn't control her body movements. She stared at herself in the mirror and then walked into her room shocked to see Damon.

"Cute PJ's." He half smirked he seemed off.

_Wait, I remember this_, she thought suddenly as she felt her heart skip a beat as it had that night. She _remembered it_ she zoned out of the actual dream as the real memory of it floated back to her.

"I love you Elena." He said the words she feared the words that would change everything because she couldn't fight her feelings once she heard that and she knew it. "And it's because I love you, you can never know, I don't _deserve_ you. But my brother does." He gulped and his eyes looked so pained she remembered struggling for something to say she knew what she _wanted _to say but she was scared and she wasn't entirely sure.

He kissed her on the forehead and took it away before she could even begin to get a grasp on what those words had done to her, it was gone. But now it was back and she knew now exactly what those words had done to her. She wasn't afraid anymore.

"Elena are you okay?" Damon shook her awake. "Were you in the dream?"

"For a second." She breathed staring at him wide eyed. "Then it all just hit me, I remembered it for real, how I felt, everything."

"How?" He looked surprised.

"Does it matter?" She asked bringing her face close to his. "I love you to."

His mouth claimed hers without warning and she melted into the kiss she could feel his love for her. But still she wanted to hear it. She grabbed his hair and pulled him back from her.

"I may have remembered it but _technically_ I missed the first declaration. So can you say it again?" She asked with a smile.

"I love you Elena." He said his eyes warm and loving his mouth twisted into a genuine smile. "More every second."

She smiled back reaching up to kiss him again. He claimed her mouth with a passion that made her quiver.

"I want to show you how much, let me make love to you." He whispered seductively into her ear.

As if she could resit _that_. She looked up at him with parted lips and hooded eyes. "I'm all yours."

* * *

It was hours later Elena lay completely sated. She always knew Damon would be unbelievable and he didn't disappoint but not only that they seemed to connect in a way that just made the whole experience so much more intense. Damon covered her up in blankets and kissed her softly before getting up to get them another bottle of wine. He was back at her side in seconds and she cuddled against him his arm came around her pulling her in. She sighed a feeling of pure contentment and rightness coming over her. She had never felt like this before so complete.

"I'm finally where I belong." He said kissing her head. "All I ever wanted was love."

She felt so saddened that he was alone for so long and kissed his chest. "Now you have it. I love you Damon."

He smiled and kissed her handing her the wine bottle.

"Is this the stuff from upstairs?" She frowned she was a little scared to be drinking wine that was as old as Damon.

"Nah, We'll save that for a night when we're bored and need to get hammered." He said. "This is just top notch red wine."

"I thought you only did whiskey." She laughed taking a sip.

"Depends on the mood." He grinned.

"How's your mood right now." She grinned back with a wink.

"I'm happy Elena for the first time in a very long time." He smiled. "Loving you hasn't always been easy that longing and wishing the jealousy the guilt...it's all worth it now."

"I don't want loving me to be hard anymore. I know it isn't always going to be easy but we have this understanding and connection. We just have to stick together and be honest with each other. We can't let our past dictate our future." Elena said.

"Then we won't." He agreed.

"It's the easiest thing in the world right now, btw." He added leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"I know." She agreed with a smile laying down on her side. Damon spooned her from behind, she felt that feeling of contentment again and sighed happily when his arms wrapped around her waist holding her close to him.

"So Damon?" She murmured stifling a yawn.

"Yes Elena?" He asked in an amused voice.

"Am I your girlfriend now?" She asked with a little smile.

"Yes." He said in a firm voice holding her closer.

She giggled surprised by his response.

"What? You said you were all mine. I took it literally." He said.

"Good because it was true I am." She smiled snuggling closer to him.

"Then good night sweetheart." He said kissing her head.

"Sweetheart." She murmured as she closed her eyes and drifted off.

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_**Thanks for reading! Please review! :)**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

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Damon woke up the next morning wrapped around Elena tightly. He clung to her all night partially afraid it was all some kind of dream. That it was just to good to be true and if he let go she would disappear.

"Damon." She mumbled in a sleepy voice turning in his arms to look at him he gazed into her soft doe eyes and all he saw was love. A strange and unfamiler feeling of happiness started to settle in. This was it. In every dream he ever had of her it was_ this_, the morning he woke up with her in his arms that he longed for the most.

"Good morning beautiful." He smiled and kissed her softly.

She smiled and wrapped her legs around him kissing him deeper. Things got heated pretty quickly the passion between them still so hot. Elena felt a new desire inside of her when it came to Damon. She quite simply couldn't get enough of him and decided to show him so by aggressively taking control. He growled and panted kissing her back with matched aggression.

She bit her lip at one point in the middle of their heavy make out session and a drop of blood trailed down her lip. Damon looked at it and his eyes darkened before he quickly turned his head to compose himself.

"Stop." She said pulling his head back to face her. "It's okay don't hide from me."

"Elena, I can control myself. I just wasn't expecting it and I haven't fed an a while." He explained his face normal again.

"Damon I know that you like to bite women for sexual pleasure." Elena said. "I..I want you to do it to me. I trust you Damon, with my life."

He gulped back a whirl of emotions. Sharing that with her. It would only further the connection and bond they had with each other. Her blood would be like nothing he had ever had. The very idea of it was intoxicating.

"Why don't we talk about this later." He said softly. "I don't want you to do it unless you're sure."

"I'm sure, I love you Damon." She said brushing her hair back from her neck. "Bite me."

"Elena, this is a not an 'I want to do and then we do it' convo. It's one of those long ones so why don't we get up and make some coffee and talk about it." He said, somehow he even amazed himself with his self control sometimes.

"I don't understand Damon." She said looking confused. "Why is it such a big deal?"

"Because I love you." He said stressing every word. "You're blood will be like nothing I've ever had and the experience of biting you is going to be intense very intense for both of us."

"You won't lose control like Stefan did.." She started.

"Don't say his name when we're in bed together please." He begged her.

"Sorry." She flushed. "But you won't lose control Damon. I trust you. You would never hurt me."

She scolded herself internally not to do that. Sometimes she couldn't help but compare them. She was surprised at how much more careful and considerate Damon was over this issue then Stefan had been. Granted Stefan had only had a few drops of blood but he hadn't put up a fight and he definitely didn't seem to think it warranted a serious conversation first like Damon did. She realized in a way it showed her that Damon respected her more.

"I'm not_ worried_ about losing control with you. It's going to be intense in a good way Elena. A really good way. We're both going to love it and I can't just take from you without giving so we would be sharing blood and once we do it. We aren't going to want to stop. It will become a regular thing." He explained.

"Okay, so what's wrong with that?" She asked.

"By sharing blood regularly we build what's called a blood bond. If allows us to sense each other on a deeper level. If you're in any danger I would know right away. If anyone tries to drink you're blood once the bond has been formed I will feel it and go off and I mean _off_ on the culprit. You would belong to me. In a demon vampire way it makes you _my_ human." He said.

"Well in a relationship way I'm yours and you're mine. So I'll be you're human, you'll be my vampire. I don't see how that would be bad." She said gazing at him.

"That's sort of my point. We love each other so that makes everything all the more extreme. You would be the first women I would do this with that I love. I don't know how intense I'm going to get over you." He admitted.

"I like how intense it is with us." She blushed. "Its like a fire between us. I can't get enough and I want us to be as close as possible Damon. Everything you described about this blood bond sounds good."

"It would be be good in a lot of ways. It would bring us even closer and help me protect you. But... it's not all good though. We would be able to sense each other on a deeper level meaning emotion wise. Feel what the other is feeling. That could get to you a little. My moods can get kind of heavy and you'll have to feel that sometimes." He went on.

"We know how to cheer each other up." She said with a wink.

"Okay true." He smirked.

"So what else you got?" She asked smirking back at him.

"Well the last part is the big one so you want that coffee now?" He asked.

"Just say it." She sighed.

"We would be doing it regularly Elena. Which means you are always going to have my blood in my system. If anything ever happens..." He left it open ended.

"I turn." She finished.

"From what I've heard about serious human vampire relationships regular blood exchanging doesn't usually occur until the human has pretty much decided they're going to turn at some point." Damon said his eyes intense.

"Okay." She took a deep breath and stared at him. "I get that, I've thought about it before but never actually came to a decision if I wanted that. I've seen the worst parts of it, but at the same time I've seen good parts about it too. I wouldn't have met you if you weren't a vampire. Having the chance to live forever, go anywhere you want, do whatever you want, not to mention the perks and the special abilities. I don't want to die, especially now that I have you. I mean no one _wants_ to die of course, but if the choice was die or turn I would rather turn."

"I don't want the choice to be made for you like that." He frowned.

"You're right I understand that. It's not something I can just leave up to fate. I have to decide. I don't want to be seventeen and Katherine's twin forever." She said. "If I did it it would be when I'm older. Once I've been able to live a little."

"That's what I would prefer to." He said sincerely. "I hate that being with me involves making a decision to be _like_ me. A part of me, a small part, hopes you'll say no you never want that. I'd hate to take your humanity away but at the same time the idea of losing you just kills me inside."

"I wouldn't have to lose my humanity Damon." She said thoughtfully. "Caroline didn't, she had a hard time when she first turned but she's okay now. You could help me with that."

"The longer you and I have a blood bond the easier time you actually have with control when you do turn. Sharing blood on a regular basis starts to prepare you're body to become a vampire and it actually prepares you for learning to feed when you turn. As you know I have turned girls before. I know the longer you give them blood the more in control they are when they turn. If the bond is with someone you love it heightens and strengthens everything times ten." He said.

"So if we waited years it would be really easy for me to learn control fast." She said thoughtfully. She was glad they were having this conversation. She hated that the topic was always avoided in her prior relationship. She didn't want it hanging over their heads. She knew Damon was the one she knew the second she realized she loved him. Suddenly turning didn't seem so scary. She knew as long as she had Damon she would be happy no matter what.

"Yes, and I wouldn't want it any other way. It's not something we would do until you were ready." He said feeling a surge of hope she actually seemed more receptive to the idea then he thought she would be. He himself was somewhat torn up about it. Part of what he loved about her was that she was human and made him feel human. He was glad she shared his down the road philosophy he was excited to watch Elena grow and become a woman. He wanted to be there for her twenty first birthday maybe even her twenty fourth, they could be the same age, he considered with a small smile.

"Damon I love you and I'm never going to stop loving you. If I put myself in your shoes and imagine myself loving you knowing one day I'll lose you and spend forever missing you...the idea is unbearable. I will someday..."

"Stop." He said his face somber. "Not because of that. I won't spend forever without you. If you don't ever want to turn. I will die when you die." He said.

"No, no. Damon you can't." She said her eyes wide.

"What would be the point of living?" He said tucking a hair behind her ear. "After 168 years I finally figured out the point of life is Elena it's love."

"You really are a romantic aren't you?" She murmured.

"Guilty.." He confessed.

"Your secrets are safe with me." She smiled. "Forever Damon. I love you too much to be able to put a yearly cap on how long we get to be together. Someday down the road. I will turn for you."

"Elena you don't have to decide this today." He said quietly if he was human his heart would be racing.

"I know I don't _have_ to but I just did Damon. You know what? It wasn't even a choice come to think of it. We have something really special we both always felt it. We were meant to be together forever." Elena said kissing him softly.

"Elena, you don't understand what...what you mean to me." He said tears in his eyes.

"I love you." She said fiercely wrapping her body around his.

"I love you to." He murmured before raining little kisses all over her face and neck.

"So?" She asked in a suggestive tone.

"You sure?" He asked already feeling the demon in him itching to come out to have a taste of her elixir.

"I thought we covered that." She smiled kissing his deeply.

"Relax." He whispered kissing her neck softly. He drew back and allowed his eyes to redden and his fangs to extend. She didn't take her eyes off him. Even with his vampire face staring down at her his fangs elongated ready to pierce her delicate neck. She continued to gaze at him with nothing but love in her eyes.

He bit into her quickly she flinched from the initial pain. When her blood his hit tongue it was like nothing he had ever experienced. He could only assume this was what love tasted like. She moaned in pleasure as he started drawing her blood. It slid down his throat and into his body he could feel every part of him come to life. He felt more human drinking from her then he ever had. He could hear her mumbling his name and her body started to shake in ecstasy. He pulled back after a few minutes and licked up the excess blood on her neck and sealed her wound with his saliva.

Her eyes gazed up at him dreamily and she had a soft smile on her face. Her body was trembling with pleasure. He started to bite into his wrist but she stopped him.

"Your neck." She said tracing it softly with her fingernail.

He could feel his fangs elongate further at the idea of her drinking from his neck. It had been over 145 years since he had willingly allowed anyone to bite his neck. Vampires would bite each other during sex sometimes but Damon never participated in it with any vampires over the years. He had always preferred to be the one in control. Allowing someone to bite your neck showed complete trust in that person. Elena was the first person he had ever truly trusted.

He scratched a vein open for her with his fingernail and she put her small mouth around the wound and bit into it with her dull human teeth before she started sucking on it. The pleasure that ripped through his body was unlike anything he had ever experienced in all his years. The entire room went black and his entire body could feel her.

Elena had drank Damon's blood once before when he shoved it in her mouth that night in the woods. She had been scared that night but she remembered how she had been able to sense his feelings even then. Feeling his sense of betrayal and regret at the same time. His guilt was the most overwhelming. That's why she didn't stay mad at him for that. She couldn't when she had felt what he was feeling. She never said anything because it weirded her out at the time. But now when his blood hit her mouth and started to slide down her throat she could feel him again and it was _amazing_. She could feel his intense love for her, his happiness, his sense of wonderment and disbelief.

Her entire body started to quake again when the pleasurable feelings he was getting from this hit her. Her vision blurred and all she could see was colors swimming around her the pleasure continued to rush through her body until it was to much to take any longer. She pulled back screaming in ecstasy along with him.

They clung to each other afterward. Elena was panting heavily and tears of emotion were choking her up. He held her body as close to his as possible and didn't bother to contain the tears the happiness that started raining down his face.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay guys. I've been having some internet issues. I'm trying to get all my stories updated this weekend. I know it's kind of a short one. But I wanted to leave the ' open the box talk' and blood exchange as it's own chapter. I hope you liked it. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

* * *

Elena and Damon stayed cuddled up in bed for a while after the intense moment they had shared that morning.

"You must be hungry sweetheart. I'll go make you something to eat." He said kissing her head and reluctantly pulling away from her.

"You take such good care of me." She said smiling at him and curling up with pillow as she watched him get up and throw some boxers on before heading to the kitchen.

She stayed in bed until she smelled the coffee brewing and then got up to join him. She picked up his shirt from the night before and threw it on loving the smell of Damon all over herself.

"Damn you look good in that." He grinned at her before turning back to his pan.

"What are you making?" She asked walking up to him.

"I heard french toast was one of your favorites." He said kissing her head before flipping the bread. "We might as well take advantage of the fresh food while we still can. Then it's all freezer and canned foods."

"Which means I will have to take advantage of being waited on while I still can, because I have no idea how to cook something that doesn't have microwave instructions on the box." She admitted.

"What do you mean you don't know how to cook?" He asked handing her a plate of food.

"Aren't you eating?" She asked she knew he didn't need regular food but he seemed to like it.

"I'll make one of those toaster things for myself. I don't want to waste any of your fresh food on me." He said. "Now how in the world can you not know how to cook? It's easy Elena."

"No it's not." She laughed. "Ask my mom or Jenna, it apparently runs in the family on the female side we cannot cook."

"Do you know how to follow instructions?" He asked.

"When I want to." She smirked.

He chucked. "Why did I even ask?"

"Hey I was good all the way here. I did everything you told me to." She protested.

"And success, we're safe and alive. How about you try and remember that." He rubbed her hair teasingly.

"I'll try." She said. "I already promised you that, but just because I succeeded in running away with you doesn't mean I'm going to succeed in trying cook."

"Come on it's easy, all you have to do is follow the recipe. I think you got into your head and just convinced yourself you couldn't do it. I'm gonna teach you how to cook."

"Good luck." She cracked up. "Trust me, no matter how closely I follow your recipe I will screw it up."

"Challenge accepted." He smirked. "Cooking 101 with instructor Salvatore starts today at three pm sharp."

Elena laughed and shrugged her shoulders relenting. She doubted Damon was going to be be able to turn her into a chef, but at least it would be fun. She smiled at him her heart fluttering. He was so doting and focused on her. He just naturally seemed to put her needs first. She still sort of had that I can't believe this is really happening feeling going on. She couldn't seem to stop smiling at him, and she had never seen Damon smile this much or look this happy.

They sat quietly sipping coffee for a while stealing long gazes at each other.

"You're driving me crazy." He said staring at her and doing the 'eye thing' she loved.

"What am I doing?" She giggled.

"You are being _irresistible_." He said in a husky voice.

"_Me_? You're the walking talking sex god." She whispered.

His eyes widened and he beamed he had her in his arms in a flash and she squealed as he carried her to the bathroom.

"Bubble bath or hot steamy shower?" He whispered dipping his head down to kiss her.

"Mm both." She said with a wide grin against his lips as he kicked the bathroom door shut behind them.

* * *

It was hours later when they finally emerged from the bathroom. Elena's legs were trembling and shaky Damon supported her wight against his and they cuddled up on the bed together. She dozed off after a while and he just stared at her in partially in disbelief but mostly with a complete and utter devotion in his eyes. The woman he loved with every part of himself loved him back she gave herself to him. The facts were still the grisly facts though and her life was in danger. He would do everything and anything he needed to do to keep her safe.

He got up and pulled his laptop back out. He laid back down next to her and flipped it open to do some more searching. She curled next to him and smiled softly on her sleep. He stroked her hair more determined then ever to figure out how to save her. He couldn't keep her in hiding forever, she deserved so much more then that. He wanted to show her the world and live through it all again through her eyes.

He wasn't having any luck with this search. The originals were a myth and most of what he was reading was speculation or just plain folklore. He decided to pull up Mystic Falls news articles and was surprised that Elena's disappearance hadn't been reported. He figured they would have listed her as a runaway since all her stuff was gone and there was no sign of a struggle. Maybe it wasn't reported since she was so close to being eighteen, he considered, but he still thought it was strange.

There didn't seem to be any reports of dead bodies or animals attacks in town so clearly Klaus had not come looking for her yet. That meant they still had time which was good because they were still looking at a blank drawing board. Damon was hoping he could kill him if he could get him alone. With the right set up it would be possible, his love for Elena would fuel him just like it did when he killed Elijah. He replayed the scene and something didn't sit right with him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, it just, even with that surge of adrenaline Damon had gotten at the moment , Elijah was thousands of years old and an original. It seemed almost too _easy_ and that bothered him.

He finally found some old journals archived they were supposed witch's journals although many claim it's just pure folklore and stories. It described a strong rivalry between witches and vampires and this peaked his curiosity. He read and re-read the article his eyes wide when Elena stirred.

"Whats up?" She asked.

"This article, I found."

"Do we have to do this right now?" She purred wrapping her leg around him.

"We gotta keep you alive, so yes." He said kissing her head.

"Listen this article basically tells of a time when witches essentially screwed up and everything got all messed up." Damon said.

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked.

"It doesn't get into how or when vampires and witches and all that came to be. But basically witches were created to act as a peacemaker between humans and the supernatural. To keep things in balance. It worked for many years. Until a curious young witch wanted to live forever like vampires." Damon started.

"What happened?" Elena asked.

"The young witch went straight to the one and only the original vampire."

"Klaus?" Elena breathed.

"It doesn't actually name him but I assume so." Damon nodded. "So Klaus is curious about encompassing some of the witches power. He wants to see what would happen if he turned the witch and the witch wants to be turned so he does it."

"Whoa. A vampire/ witch?" Elena asked. "Is it possible?"

"Not anymore, the boy's family found out and staked him. This started a war between vampires and witches. At one point the vampires teamed up with werewolves to kill the witches, but the werewolves were shady and playing both sides. Then somehow something happened a ritual and a sacrifice took place and both the werewolves and the vampires powers were bound the article said it doesn't have the details but it ceased the war for the time being. A law was also put out if any witch was to ever turn again both the witch and the vampire that turns them would be killed on the spot it is completely forbidden now on both sides."Damon said.

"The sun and moon curse was the ritual obviously, the person who wrote this article never found out the whole story, but we gotta believe it's legit, it fits." Elena said.

"This means if the curse was ever broken, all hell would break loose between the supernatural again." Damon said.

"It would be terrible." Elena said grimly. "Vampires could walk around whenever they wanted, wolves could transform at will and the original vampires hold grudges from what we understand. A supernatural war would break out."

"It would mean I would lose you and that won't ever happen. Not ever." He said his tone serious.

"We have some information to go on now. That's a start." Elena said.

"We need to find the family of the witch kid who turned himself. They hate Klaus the most, if their blood line survived I can guarantee you they know their history." Damon murmured.

"Plus they would want revenge. They would be the most motivated to kill him." Elena agreed.

"No honey,_ I _am the most motivated to kill him." He said looking at her intensely.

"What time is it?" She said sitting up and running her hands through her tangled dark hair.

"Almost noon, you hungry?" He asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I feel so off schedule down here it's like it's night all the time."

"I could set the lights on a timer or something." Damon offered.

"It's cool, its kind of nice actually, we can just do what we want whenever." She smiled. "It's safe and cozy. I like it here. I can tell you feel that way too."

"You can, can you?" He said in an amused voice watching her pull on some jeans and a tank top he just couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Mm hm." She said. "Your guard is down."

"It always is with you." He said. "But I do feel more, human here."

"It's okay to feel human Damon. I know the demon in you wants to fight that sometimes, but you are essentially the same man that you _always_ were its just hardened over time because of what's happened to you, but at the end of the day despite the carvings and urges, you have your own will power and the ability to make your own choices. I've seen you choose the right thing over and over..."

"That's because of you." He whispered softly touching her cheek.

"No, it's not just because of me Damon." She said softly. "It's because that's who you are at your core and that man is stronger then the demon is."

"I think you're right about that Elena." he said. "But I found that guy again because of you. Because you reminded me of who I really am."

"That's a nickel back song." She said but her eyes filled with tears of emotion anyway.

"I know but it fit." He smirked.

"Just kiss me." She laughed. He dipped her down low and kissed her dramatically.

* * *

"So ready to learn how to cook?" He asked throwing some jeans and tee shirt on.

"You said three." She pouted.

"Well you're hungry now so come on." He laughed pulling into the kitchen with him.

"How about I sit here and admire how _sexy_ you look when your cooking for me?" She suggested sitting at the bar and putting her chin in her hand gazing at him with pursed lips.

"Elena are you trying to manipulate me?" He asked putting a hand to his heart.

"Who me?" She laughed.

"Come here trouble, we're making spaghetti and it's gonna be fun." He said.

"Okay." She said joining him in the kitchen.

"First things first wine." He said opening a bottle and pouring them both a glass.

"Damon it's only noon." She pointed out.

"Does it matter? Whatever we want, whenever we want, your words sweetheart." He reminded her.

"Touche." She said taking the glass and clinking it with his.

"Just fill this up with water and put it on the burner." he told her handing her a pot.

"_Damon_, I'm not that dense, I know how to boil water." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm just accessing your skill level." He smirked. "Do you know how to chop up vegetables?"

"Yes it's cooking that I'm no good at. I either under cook it or over cook it." She said.

"Well hamburger is easy so now you'll know." He said grabbing a big pan and tuning on the burner.

"So now we put the meat in?" She said opening the fridge.

"No we let the pan get hot first." He said.

Once the pan was at the right temperature he put the meat in and showed her how to brown it. He chopped the veggies up in vampire speed and added them. He stood behind her and took the spoon from her reaching over her body to stir the meat up.

"You're distracting me." She murmured.

"I can't help that I'm such a sex god." he said in a husky voice.

"I should have never said that. All I did was make your ego bigger." She scoffed.

He just chuckled and helped her finish the meat. He turned out to be a pretty good teacher but she doubted she would retain any of it She was just enjoying watching him he had such a flair about him when he moved, talked, walked he was just so incredibly sexy she couldn't tear her eyes off him.

The spaghetti turned out awesome. Damon set the table up with candles she mused on how romantic he was turning out to be as she sat across from him. He stared into her eyes with so much love and devotion she would feel it around her, embracing her. It was the most incredible feeling in the world being loved by him. She knew they would need to start planning soon and would have to go after Klaus eventually but at the moment she couldn't think of any place she would rather be.

* * *

I hope you liked the update! Please review! :)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

**Virginia**

"So what are we going to do?" Caroline sighed. "We need a plan."

"We have one." Bonnie said.

"A pretty flaky one." Caroline said shooting a dark look at the girl on the other end of the couch from her.

"Rich, the bubbly blond teenage vampire calls _me_ flaky." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Considering the fact that you're Katherine, flaky is kind of a compliment." Jeremy muttered.

"_Elena._" Katherine smirked. "If we're going to do this, let's start doing this, Klaus isn't going to be fooled easily; you all need to start treating me just like you treat the little princess."

"This is never going to work." Caroline muttered.

"It's got to work, we can make this work." Bonnie said. "We can't let Klaus come here and destroy this town and we can't let him come here and then go running after Elena either. I didn't let the bitch out of the tomb for nothing. We got the plan now we just have to detail it out and get moving."

"Stefan?" Caroline looked over at the dejected vampire who sat in a chair near the fire. He rarely spoke anymore he rarely even moved his eyes up off the floor. Caroline could feel her undead heart twist. She wished there was something she could do to ease his pain.

"Do whatever you all think is best." He said.

"We'd like an opinion here, Stefan, we're a bunch of teenagers remember?" Jeremy said.

"Call Rose and ask her advice." Stefan said.

"Rose is trying to find the weapon that could kill Klaus; we can't disturb her so we need your help with the planning." Caroline begged. "Please Stefan, our lives are basically in _Katherine's _hands here, we need you, help us?"

"He doesn't want to help." Katherine spoke up in her an icy tone. "He lost and he's pissed and he washed his hands off both of them. He'd rather Elena's plan works and Klaus goes after her and Damon. He would rather they end up dead then together, isn't that right Stefan?"

"No." Stefan said. "No I don't want them dead. You're so…ugh, I hate you."

"But you don't really feel like helping them either do you?" She purred.

"Go to hell Katherine." He snapped.

"Wow you almost sounded like Damon, I kind of like it you know the rough stuff, should have shown more of that side with her maybe she wouldn't have…."

"Shut the hell up Katherine!" Stefan imploded slamming her against the wall.

"Now, now Stefan you wouldn't do that to_ Elena_." Katherine purred.

"Oh no, _no_," He said his eyes wide, "No way."

"Oh yes, if we're going to do this, we're going to _do it_." She said twisting her lips into a smirk.

"Forget it, just forget it." Stefan said. "I refuse to participate in this ridiculous charade, Klaus gets two feet from you and he's going to know you're not Elena."

"I'm working on that." Bonnie said.

"She's working on it." Katherine repeated closing the distance between them and stroking his cheek. "Now perhaps we should start practicing…"

Stefan growled and pushed her off him storming over to the wet bar. Caroline's mouth dropped open when Stefan grabbed a bottle of Damon's scotch and started draining the bottle.

"This isn't going to help." Caroline snapped flashing over and ripping the bottle back.

"It calms me down." Stefan said.

"Drinking does, getting _wasted_ does not." Caroline said. "Come on Stefan, it's me and you here, I'm not supposed to be the voice of reason."

Stefan chuckled a little and smiled at her. "You're right."

"Gag me." Katherine muttered glaring at them from the corner Stefan harshly rejected her in.

"I'll go along with this." Stefan sighed. "I don't want Damon and Elena facing him alone any more than the rest of you do. I may hate them right now but I don't want them dead." He threw a pointed look in Katherine's direction. "So we use Katherine we kill Klaus. I'll do what I need to do, in _public_, but be clear Katherine I will not use you to replace her in any kind of literal way."

"That's just ridiculous, that statement." Katherine said her face hardening. "How could you use me to replace her when she was a replacement for me in the first place?"

"You're wrong she was never a replacement for you. How could she be when you were cold and callous, manipulative and self-serving? She was nothing like you…I saw that right away." Stefan said.

Katherine continued to stare ahead looking unaffected.

"She was so much better." He added, he wasn't sure why he wanted to hurt her but he did, dammit he wanted Katherine to hurt for once in her selfish and vindictive life.

"Funny Stefan, I bet that's what Elena is saying right now." Katherine hissed slinking past him with an 'Elena' like doe eyed look as she passed him.

"Calm down Stefan." Caroline whispered when his eyes reddened and his fangs started to extend.

He took a few breaths and calmed himself Bonnie and Jeremy sat on the couch calmly.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked softly.

"Don't pay any attention to what that bitch says," Jeremy offered glaring up the stairs where Katherine had disappeared.

Stefan just sighed and sank down into the chair next to the fireplace dropping his head down.

"Why don't you guys go to Bonnie's look through the grimores or something, give us a minute." Caroline said. Bonnie and Jeremy nodded and left.

"Hey Stefan," Caroline said softly. "I just want you to know, I'm on your side here, okay?"

"You're her best friend." Stefan said.

"I know." Caroline said. "But you're a close friend too and on a different level. You helped me through a very difficult period when I wanted to give up. You were the one who was betrayed and you were the one who was hurt so I'm on your side, I just thought you'd like to know that."

"I...yeah that helps." He said his eyes lighting up just a little.

Katherine watched them from the top of the stairs with a scowl across her face.

* * *

**Wisconsin**

"You realize if we keep spending all our time in bed I'm going to get a little pudgy." Elena giggled as she and Damon curled up in bed they had just finished watching a movie.

"I think I keep you pretty well, worked out." He smirked waggling his eyebrows.

"Damon." She flushed swatting at him lightly.

"I can't believe your movie collection, gone with the wind." Elena smiled curling into his body.

"I told you I was a fatalist a long time ago, don't you remember, naturally that makes me a romantic." Damon smirked.

"You don't believe our love is doomed to end do you?" She asked looking worried.

"Considering the circumstances we find ourselves in it's a little hard not to…" He started.

"Damon no," She protested. "We're going to win."

"It's that your fight, your determination to live and to fight for love, that gives me hope. But a part of me is always going to worry over you, it's just something we might have to deal with it, I don't ever want to smother you but the idea of something happening to you literally kills me Elena." He said his tone serious.

"We're going to win. We have to I see no other option." Elena said getting up and stretching.

"We just need to keep looking." He muttered flipping on his laptop.

"If only we can find this family…maybe you heard something once in your travels…something important. Did you keep any journals?" She asked pulling his box of books down from the closet.

"No I don't write in a diary like a girl." He scoffed.

"Oh really?" Elena smirked pulling a dusty old looking journal from the box. "Than what's this?"

She held out a dusty old journal. "Is this yours?"

"No." He frowned looking at it. "I've never seen this before."

"It's with your books Damon you must have." She insisted.

"No." He shook his head and opened it. "I've never seen this."

"How is that possible? No one else knows about this place right?" Elena looked nervous.

"Impossible." Damon breathed.

"What?" Elena asked.

"It's Benjamin's journal." Damon said quietly.

"Benjamin's but…you mean the witch who brought you here?" Elena asked.

"Yeah." Damon mumbled looking at the book wide-eyed.

"But how did his journal get in with your books?"

"I don't know." Damon muttered his eyes narrow.

"Maybe he came back at some point and left it here." Elena suggested.

"He couldn't have." Damon said looking pained.

"Why?" Elena asked.

"Because I _killed him_," Damon said. "Remember how I told you I snapped and shut it off the first time I left here? Well Benjamin, the first person to help me to actually show compassion for me, he was my goddamn moment."

He gulped and his eyes looked so shadowed with agony and guilt it was hard for Elena to feel anything but compassion and sadness for him. Damon really had been through hell and though some of the hell he brought on himself but, he still had been through it and it pained her to know this man she was coming to love so deeply had hurt for so long and his ghosts still haunted him.

"You mean you shut it off by killing him?" Elena asked quietly.

"I was enraged. I was down here building as much anger as I could he was waiting in the house when I emerged. It was strange though he…I don't want to talk about it." He said.

"No tell me Damon." She begged.

"He was bleeding, he had a starved and recently tortured vampire under his house, he had to sense me coming up and his arm was bleeding. I mean he might have cut himself on something right before and didn't have time I guess….I don't know. I went off, he went limp before I even realized I had ripped his throat out." Damon said staring off.

"Did you drain him?" Elena asked, wondering just when she started becoming so desensitized towards this stuff. She shrugged it off and focused on the matter at hand. They had a mystery to figure out.

"You don't have to drain someone completely to kill them. A person bleeds out before that point; there simply isn't enough blood to keep the body functioning. Certain bites, nicking certain arteries can kill or paralyze a person instantly as well. It was a lethal bite Elena, I realized he was dead quickly. Dead, there is no way he was alive." Damon said staring at the journal again and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, I know it hurts to relive." She said softly touching his arm.

"It should. I deserve that pain He was nice to me he saved my ass and I repaid him by using him to start a life of killing and misery." Damon muttered.

"Hey." She said softly. "You snapped, Damon in that situation being starved and having been through what you had, even if you hadn't shut it off, your instincts and need to feed alone could have driven you."

"I know, but he's the one I always go back to...I always regret." He muttered.

"Maybe someone is messing with me, but who could know about it?" He wondered out loud.

"Do you remember if Benjamin had a ring on?" Elena asked. "Maybe he survived and came back here sometimes, left his journal?"

"Even if he did his natural human life would have ended a long time ago and I've been here a few times since then. I would have noticed this." Damon shook his head.

"So I guess we start reading maybe the answers are in the journal." Elena shrugged jumping on the bed and patting the spot next to her. He climbed in and wrapped his arms protectively around her before pulling open the journal.

* * *

**Virginia**

Stefan sat quietly by the fire when he heard a loud crash against the door. He jumped up and saw Caroline do the same from the couch. He felt a burst of gratitude towards the young girl for staying with him. Caroline was the one to suggest Elena hadn't simply run off to be with Damon as a lover but to protect the rest of them. It was that realization that swung the kill Klaus on our own mission. Part of it was because despite his pain he still wanted to protect her, another part of it was that he wanted to be the one to save her in the end as pathetic as it made him. Then sometimes and only sometimes Katherine was right he didn't really want to help either of them. But he couldn't deny that it had been all the planning and plotting having his friends around especially Caroline that helped him stay sane through it.

"What was that?" Katherine flew down the stairs.

"I don't know." Stefan said holding his arms to push them both back as he slowly walked to the door.

"Isn't that cute Stefan's being a hero." Katherine chirped.

"You go look then, you're the oldest." He said in an icy tone turning to glare at her.

"Fine," She said flashing over the door she opened it and looked down.

"It's Rose." She said turning to look at them her face blank and calm. "She's dead."

"What?" Stefan rushed over and kneeled down by an ashen and staked Rose.

"No use crying over a spilled traitor." A smooth voice said stepping over Rose's body to enter the house dressed in a black suit was Elijah; the very Elijah Stefan had seen Damon kill. He was flanked by two men also dressed in dark clothes and older man and what looked like his son. Stefan could sense they were human but could feel their powers.

"Witches," Stefan whispered.

"We prefer warlocks." The older man said he was tall and thin with dark skin and brown eyes that had a shadow in them.

"Why did you kill her?" Caroline trembled looking down at Rose in horror.

"That was between Rose and I dear." Elijah said.

""But...you're dead…" Stefan stuttered. "I don't get it."

"Undead and have been for decades longer then you and your vigilante bother." Elijah said crisply.

"Now where is Elena?" He asked his eyes sweeping the room. Katherine stared at him nervously fidgeting, _Nervously_? Stefan frowned in her direction, no one scared Katherine right?

"We don't know and if we did we wouldn't tell you." Caroline spat out looking feisty.

"Caroline stop," Stefan whispered positioning his body in front of hers and staring down at Rose in horror. He couldn't let that happen to her, he _wouldn't_.

"I would recommend you look at Katherine and realize she has good sense to be frightened of me, challenging me, never a good idea." Elijah said.

"We don't know where Elena is." Stefan said. "I assure you."

"I doubt that." Elijah said. "I know she ran off with your brother but I also know at least one of you knows where she is.

"No she pulled a pretty damn good disappearing act." Katherine said. "Honestly."

"Go gather some of your brother's belongings and bring them to me associates." Elijah said gazing into Stefan's eyes.

Stefan slowly walked up the stairs he knew he was compelled and he absolutely hated it because he couldn't do a damn thing about it. He was shocked and angry he couldn't stop himself from helping the original. He never felt more powerless. He was about to deliver Elena to Elijah and the very thought horrified him. He cursed his brother for wiping out Elena's possessions but not his own. Leave it to Damon to forget something he thought angrily as he was forced to gather up some of Damon's things and being them down to Elijah's witches.

He was even more horrified when Bonnie and Jeremy entered looking shocked at the scene.

"Good she can assist." Elijah said.

"You two just watch." He looked from Caroline to Stefan.

The older witch grabbed Bonnie's hand forcing her to help them. Stefan watched on as they chanted he could see Bonnie growing weak but found himself unable to move to help her and knew he was being compelled again. He glanced over at Caroline and her face told him she was being compelled to stand still and watch as well. It bothered him that he knew Elena was with Damon how had he found out that much had he been watching them?

An image suddenly appeared on the wall and Elijah looked on with a small smile as a small cement looking room started to emerge a basement?

"Where is it though?" Elijah murmured.

"Shh." The older witch said chanting harder Stefan could see Bonnie's nose bleeding and started to scream Elijah looked in his eyes sharply and Stefan suddenly couldn't even speak. This was why he didn't like compulsion it was awful and suffocating. He remembered how it felt when Katherine compelled him after he woke up as a vampire. But it had been a long time and feeling it now it made him feel weak, vulnerable, and violated.

The image panned up to a bed and Stefan's heart twisted when he looked on at Elena curled up in bed next to Damon. Her head rested on his shoulder and he was softly stroking her hair they were reading something. Elena had a sweet soft smile on her face and she actually looked relaxed a look Stefan hadn't seen on her in a long time. His eyes widened when he saw the look on his brothers face. The soft loving look in his eyes, the genuine smile on his face, he looked...human. He looked _happy_. A lump formed in Stefan's throat.

"Enough of the teenage romance, where are they?" Elijah asked.

"I can't...I can't…" The older witch chanted louder Bonnie's eyes closed and her nose bled heavily.

"No stop!" Jeremy yelled running towards her.

"Careful kid," Katherine pulled him back to Stefan's complete shock unable to move he looked at her gratefully. Her face remained impassive.

"We have to stop." The older warlock said when he looked at the younger male whose nose was starting to bleed.

"No you need to find the location." Elijah said.

"We can't." The man said.

"I expect results Jonah." Elijah glared at him.

"The location it's all blacked out, I can't see it its blocked." The warlock Jonah explained.

"How so?" Elijah asked raising an eyebrow.

"They are being protected; their location has been sealed by a thick barrier. I can't penetrate it, whoever is protecting them is much stronger then me. Then all three of us put together." Jonah gasped.

"So a witch is protecting them?" Katherine murmured.

"Well, this certainly puts a kink in my plans." Elijah said looking Katherine up and down disdainfully. "I have no time to handle that, so we will need to use you to flush out Klaus. I'll worry about breaking the curse later."

"You two are free of my control." He said in soft voice his eyes sweeping over Stefan and then Caroline.

"I'll be in touch."

With that he and the two men left the house and left them all stunned.

* * *

***I wasn't going do this…but this idea of what was going on back home kept nagging at me. So I reworked the plot slightly decided to add in some Mystic Falls drama as well. This doesn't actually change the layout of the story that much but it does make it a little longer and adds in some additional smaller storylines . Anyways I'm blabbering again I hope you liked it. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**

* * *

**

**VA**

"So how does this work exactly?" Caroline asked as Bonnie read over the spell again and waved her off.

"Will you answer the twit's question?" Katherine snapped. "I'd like to know what you're going to do to me Bennett."

"I'm basically putting a human shield around you, a vampire can't tell just by looking at another vampire they aren't human right away...but a vampire is so attuned to the smell and sound of a human we can only assume an original can tell the difference right away this _shield _so to speak will effectively make you sound like you have a heartbeat and make you smell human." Bonnie explained.

"Smell human?" Jeremy asked, "Humans smell different then vampires?"

"Mm they smell _delicious_." Katherine smiled giving him an imploring look

"Well some of them do anyway." She added with a giggle. "Watch out for the smelly ones, no good."

"You mean some humans don't taste good?" Caroline asked looking confused.

"Stefan, I thought you were mentoring her?" Katherine asked.

"I am." He muttered.

"Then why is she so stupid?"

"Stupid bitch," Caroline muttered under her breath.

"We don't talk about the different tastes of different people; we don't treat people like food." Stefan said looking at her with disgust and crossing his arms.

"Just watch out for sickly looking people, bad blood is...you don't want it." Katherine advised her. "Trust me."

"Good to know." Caroline mumbled wondering why the she was helping her, was she helping her? She supposed in a strange way she was. She glanced over at Stefan and noticed he was staring at Katherine curiously himself. She frowned at that she didn't need Stefan or anyone else redeeming Katherine, she was nothing but trouble.

"Do you guys mind?" Bonnie snapped. "I'm trying to concentrate here; can you discuss feeding 101 later?"

"Sorry Bon." Caroline winced, she was proud at how much more accepting Bonnie had become of her and vampires in general. Still sometimes she forgot Bonnie wasn't a big fan of this vamp stuff and she pushed it a little.

She glanced around the room thoughtfully, motivations were an interesting thing, she thought. Elena had given them all a chance; they could have let her have her way. Pretended to careless about Elena when Klaus showed up in town looking and just let him chase Elena and Damon which clearly was Elena's plan anyway, but they didn't do that. They now had not just an impending battle with Klaus whenever he decided to swoop in on them, but another original Elijah and two powerful witches to deal with. They could all die doing this, none of them were going to walk away unscathed and yet here they were, she glanced around the room at the group.

She knew why Bonnie was here. Bonnie had admitted to Caroline that she felt she had something to prove not just to her ancestors but herself. She felt like it all happened for a reason, she was meant to ensure this curse didn't end, that Elena didn't die. She was hurt that Elena hadn't trusted in her powers being enough to save them, Bonnie Bennett had something to prove.

Jeremy was here because despite everything Elena would always be his sister literal or not. He wouldn't stand by and allow her to put herself in danger. She watched his gaze travel worriedly over Bonnie and realized he wasn't just protecting Elena. Jeremy Gilbert was becoming a man and his moment was on the horizon.

Stefan was here because, he was Stefan. He was the perpetual white knight his brother teased him to be. That was who he was and as much as it hurt he would always strive do the right thing, Caroline would always admire that about him. She knew this was killing him, but she also knew until Klaus was dead, until Elena was safe. He would never actually be able to move on. Stefan Salvatore needed the closure that only winning would bring.

Caroline was here because, her friends were, because for whatever reason Katherine turned her and tossed her into this world. Caroline could have cracked, she could have run, killed herself, but instead she jumped into the trenches and now here she was ready to rush into battle with them and for the first time in her life…she felt _good_ really good. All her life she tried to have the best outfit, the nicest car, the hottest guy but it was never enough she still never felt satisfied. Now here they were they were bracing up to go face to face with evil personified and she felt alive. Caroline Forbes now undead at seventeen felt more alive than she ever had in her entire life.

The only one whose motivations were unclear stood the cunning vampire sitting surprisingly calmly next to Bonnie absentmindedly playing with her hair. She wanted out of the tomb, they all knew that, hence the deal, but no one especially Caroline expected her to actually stick around and hold to her end of the bargain yet here she was. Caroline had a sneaking suspicion of why and it involved Stefan with a capital S, whatever her motivations were Caroline didn't trust them. Katherine Peirce never did anything unless she had something to benefit from it.

"Ready to be human-_ish_?" Bonnie asked looking up at Katherine.

"Are _you_ ready Stefan?" Katherine asked coyly. "A human Katherine, isn't that what you always wanted? Oh that's right..."

"Shut up." Caroline snapped.

Stefan shot her a grateful look and she nodded and smiled.

"Frankly I'm getting a little annoyed with the constant disrespect." Katherine said glaring at Caroline. "I hate teenagers."

"Then you shouldn't have turned me." Caroline said crisply.

"You're getting far too confident for your own good." Katherine said. "I miss the old days when you did my bidding; we were such good friends then. Remember our girly little chats?"

"I'm not scared of you anymore." Caroline said yawning.

"You should be." Katherine said her tone icy and her eyes harshly boring into Caroline.

"I made you and I can break you." Katherine continued.

"If anything happens to Caroline I won't wait for confirmation." Stefan spoke up. "I'll put a stake through your heart faster than you can try to purr your way out of it."

Katherine's eyes widened slightly and looked a little hurt Caroline felt her own eyes widen but she didn't feel hurt….she was surprised by the infliction in Stefan's voice; he meant that…she wasn't sure what that meant or what it was making her feel. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts away.

"Let's just get on with this spell so we can all go about our day." Bonnie begged.

"Sounds good to me," Jeremy said looking uncomfortable.

Bonnie grabbed Katherine's face and started chanting, Katherine was surprisingly calm in that position. Bonnie's head snapped up as did Katherine's a little slower than normal she looked a little wobbly.

Caroline was surprised at how much of a difference it made, Katherine did smell human and as a human she smelled more like Elena then Stefan was going to be comfortable with. She appeared more human, clumsier not quite as graceful; she still had that cunning look in her eyes though.

"This might actually work." Caroline mumbled staring in fascination.

"I don't get it, she looks exactly the same." Jeremy said.

"It's pretty subtle." Caroline said. "You wouldn't be able to see the difference."

"Like you can you're a baby vamp." Katherine scoffed.

"I can actually; its slight but I can see it." Caroline said.

"I can too." Stefan murmured. "You seem less graceful."

"Just remember you appear to be human, it doesn't mean you are. You still have to watch your speed and stuff like that in public, who knows if Klaus already has spies here." Bonnie advised.

"So no midnight snacks in the middle of the town square then?" Katherine smirked.

Bonnie glared at her and sighed. "Are we done for today?"

"Hold on, we need to figure out what we're going to do about Elijah." Caroline sighed.

"For now we just go with it, follow his plan." Stefan said. "I think it's better to keep the enemy closer. He can force us to do what he wants, let's not let that happen again."

They all nodded Caroline and Stefan started drinking vervain right after Elijah left it was terrible and disgusting but neither of them ever wanted to be compelled again.

"I feel so much safer just knowing I have you Stefan." Katherine said sweetly mocking Elena's face expression.

"I don't get you Katherine." Stefan said staring at her. "You say you still love me, that you came back for me, but you do nothing to redeem yourself in my eyes.

"Nothing to redeem myself, really Stefan? Then what the hell am I doing here?" Katherine snapped angrily.

"Look I'm trying to pull this off okay? Klaus may not know Elena, but he _knows me_. I cannot seem like myself when he's around, so you can all help me out here or get pissed at me for following your plan. Your choice, wrong makes you dead, just remember that." She added in a hard tone looking at Bonnie and Jeremy and turning her body from Stefan's who looked down a shadow across his face.

"Okay we'll help you." Jeremy said. "Say something you think she would say."

"I'm secretly in love with Damon." She smirked.

Stefan just rolled his eyes opting to ignore her.

"Tell me why we actually thought this was a good idea?" Jeremy groaned.

"What other choice do we have Jer?" Katherine asked sighing slightly and frowning.

"That was decent." He nodded.

"I'm not Katherine." Katherine said looking defiant and widening her eyes.

"Don't overdo it with the eye stuff. You can handle it." Stefan grunted.

"Is that a thank you?" Katherine asked coolly.

"Thank you for what?" Caroline interjected unable to handle listening to this exchange any longer she hated watching Katherine try to manipulate Stefan.

"Helping." Katherine said shooting her a duh look.

"Why should he thank you for helping? You want Klaus dead just as bad as the rest of us do. You can't guilt Stefan into anything over this." Caroline said.

"I could just run, let him kill you all. I'm good at that; it's been 500 years now." Katherine said. "But I made a deal and you're right I do want him dead and I'm honoring my deal to you all through his death. Once it's done so are we. The fall out, Damon and Elena, Elijah your on your own and I _doubt _your all going to make it out alive."

* * *

**WI**

Elena and Damon spent hours pouring through the Journal unfortunately it told them very little. The journal was mostly about Benjamin's young life he discovered his powers towards the very end of the journal on the last page he eluded to a dark family history but it ended there.

Damon tossed the journal across the room in frustration.

"Damon!" Elena exclaimed pointing to an envelope that fell from the book.

"See my temperament can be a good thing sometimes." He mumbled picking up the envelope.

"What is it?" She said anxiously trying to read over his shoulder.

He grabbed a piece of paper it just said:

_Stay there I'll come to you. I'm not an enemy. _

_B_

"What?" Elena gasped.

"This can't be happening." He said sitting down at the table clutching his head.

Elena let out a breath. "But if he's alive that means…"

"That means he's a vampire Elena, a witch vampire, want to start taking bets on how he got that way?" Damon snapped.

She frowned and sat down on the bed her face flushed. "You don't have to get all snappy about it."

He flinched and glanced at her before lowering his voice.

"Elena, if he turned, it means it was that night, when I killed him it means… he had vampire blood in his system. I was bleeding and a mess when he saved me." Damon said slowly she could see the anger in his eyes as he tried to remain calm.

"So he planned it then?" She said her eyes widening, her heart started pounding as a rage started to fill her up. "You said his arm was cut when you got up there. He _planned it_?"

Damon gripped the table and took a breath. "It's okay Elena calm down. He said he's not an enemy we'll figure this out."

"No its not okay Damon, none of this is okay. We just read the article; the powers were bound _because_ a witch did this. You would be killed Damon if anyone finds out! He had no right...he condemned you." She exclaimed she could feel her face getting hotter and hotter and was ready to explode.

He flew over to the bed and scooped her up rocking her against him.

"I know, I know but you need to calm down, you picked up on my rage and I think it's mixing with your own anger and worry, I don't want you going into an emotional meltdown." He said gently stroking her hair.

She took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes and managed to calm the rage feeling that took over her body. She had been angry before very angry but never _that _angry. The flash of rage she picked up from Damon was intense she understood what he meant now about his moods being 'heavy'.

It was confusing she couldn't really tell if it was his being upset that made her feel so angry or if it was legitimate. This Benjamin had put Damon in a serious danger and she could feel the anger building up again just thinking about.

"How can I tell if I'm feeling something because you are?" She asked.

"What we sense from each other feels different and it hits you kind of suddenly. Over time you can kind of find a way to tune some things out…we're just going to figure it out as we go." He ruffled her hair.

"What are we going to do about this Damon?" She asked.

"I don't know, I guess we wait for him to show up and see what he has to say." Damon said.

"You're not going to kill him?" She asked.

"No." He said.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You want me to?" He asked looking confused.

"No, I don't _want _you to kill him, but Damon if anyone finds out he exists and why…your.." She didn't finish her eyes filled with worry.

"I know, but here's the thing with the exception of one person, everyone I've killed that came back from the dead, turned out to be a someone I was glad didn't actually die, and he says he's not an enemy. Maybe he can help us. Let's just see what he has to say." Damon said.

"Who's the one person?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

He winced. "It's not someone your fond of."

"Damon who?" She asked.

"Who else has a magic ring?" He countered.

"Damon, John, Really? When did you kill John?" She asked shaking her head in disbelief.

"Before I knew he was your father." Damon said.

"But you wish he would have died." Elena pointed out. "You don't regret killing him like you do….well. You know."

"Well, Anna and Pearl would still be alive, and I wouldn't have been almost killed. He was involved with Katherine and Isobel somehow. I'm just saying without your dear old daddy we'd have a lot less problems." He said.

She sighed and lay back on the bed.

"You're mad." He frowned looing almost sheepish.

"You just told me you killed my father." She said trying to hold back a laugh at the sheer insanity of how boyish he looked at that moment.

"Who you hate," He pointed out.

"Yes, but…"

"And before we knew he was your father, all I knew at that point was that he was an enemy." Damon added cutting her off.

"Would you kill him now?" Elena asked turning to lock eyes with him.

"No, he's your father." Damon said sincerely.

"I can get over that one then." She said.

"Not the other one though."

"I probably won't ever get over that Damon."

Elena said. "But I have a better understanding of it now, of what sort of drove you to need to just flip off the emotions. They hurt bad and it was a lot to deal with after not feeing for so long…I don't think it's really a switch you can just flip on or off like some kind of light bulb either."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's really just putting a wall up over yourself, Blocking your feelings inside you somewhere, but it's not a literal switch and for you it has to be something drastic and someone who means something to you for you to be able to shut down." Elena said staring into his eyes.

His lips twitched slightly and he nodded.

"I know that you were starting to bond with Jeremy and you knew how much he meant to me. You couldn't hurt me so you hurt him, and it sucks really bad, I won't ever actually be able to forgive that action, but I can put it past me and I have so has he, he did before I did if we're being honest." Elena said slowly.

"I would never; I could never hurt you like that again." He promised.

"I believe you." She said softly.

"I'm sorry Elena about Jeremy, about everything I've done. I screwed up a lot." He said.

"The past is behind us Damon." She said gently. "That's why we're here. I am glad we talked about it though. I know how sorry you are and I think Jer is one of those things you're always going to feel guilty about. You know? But you can put it behind you to now. He did..."

"I don't know how he did, Alaric either." Damon said.

"Maybe they sort of get it like I do." Elena shrugged. "I can see you and Alaric, have a bond and Jeremy really admires you. "

"Are you saying I have friends?" He said in mock horror.

"I think you do." She smirked.

He pulled her close and stroked her back.

"What was that?" She asked. "You're worried about something?"

"Someone," Damon groaned. "Alaric kind of likes to play renegade; I just hope he isn't trying to find us or something."

"But he trusts you with me." Elena said.

"Yeah but he's like my sidekick now, he probably figured out we plan to lure Klaus to us and wants to help." Damon said.

"He won't be able to find us though." Elena pointed out.

"I know." Damon said.

"That's not what you're worried about; you're worried he's going to get hurt aren't you?" Elena asked.

"You care about him." She declared with a smile.

"No I don't, he's just handy to have around with all his vamp tools and stuff." Damon said.

"Liar." She poked him he scoffed but she could see the worry in his eyes.

"Don't worry Damon if he did try anything like that, he'll be okay. He's resourceful and he's got his ring." Elena assured him.

"I'm not worried about him." Damon scoffed.

"Okay." She rolled her eyes.

She smiled sadly. "I miss everyone."

"I know. He said kissing her cheek, he wanted to assure her that they would see everyone again but he honestly didn't know and didn't want to fill her head with false and empty promises.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, hope you liked the update!

.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

**WI**

Elena was in the bathtub listening to music on her I pod, neither her or Damon brought speakers but he was trying to figure out a way to get them music through his laptop. They planned on breaking out the old bottle of wine tonight and letting loose a little. Things had been intense since they had been here. She was excited to drink and dance and have some fun.

She could tell Damon needed it to, their search on the originals just kept leading to more questions and his frustration was growing. Elena understood his frustration on a whole new level now. Benjamin had basically marked Damon for death just like the witch that created the sun and moon curse did to her. It was a desperate and anxious feeling . This constant worry that the shoe is going to drop and some witch or vampire would find out about Benjamin and kill Damon for turning him.

She attempted to push the worries from her mind knowing Damon could feel them. She focused instead on thinking about Damon. How amazing he was to her. He seemed to just automatically put her needs first. She often woke up to breakfast waiting for her. He refused to eat any of the fresh food she had left wanting to ensure there would be enough for her. She couldn't believe he at one point thought being with her was selfish. Damon was the most unselfish boyfriend she had even imagined.

He was so affectionate more so then she thought he would be. He was constantly hugging her and kissing her, they were very rarely not next to each other touching some way. They both had a hard time keeping their hands off each other. It was like every time they were together it just got more intense the bond between them was growing and it heightened the experiences of making love and sharing blood in incredible ways. Feeling your lover's pleasure at the same time as your own brings everything to this whole new level. It felt magical with him and she literally couldn't get enough.

She slipped on a little purple slip and combed her hair before paddling out of the bathroom barefoot. Damon always turned up the space heaters a little when she bathed so she wouldn't freeze when she got out.

"Mm." He smiled his darkened blue eyes drinking her in in her pajama's, she was really surprised by the selection of clothes Damon picked out for her, pretty much everything he picked was her style and something she would have bought. Of course he did throw in some racy items that made her scoff at first but he had a way of making her feel so beautiful, he treated her like a woman and not a girl. She found herself enjoying the feelings and confidence it gave her.

She returned his amorous gaze easily. The candle lit room accented every muscle on his bare chest. He was wearing silk black pajama pants that hung down past his pelvic bone.

"Silk pants Damon?" She teased.

"Don't pretend you don't love them." He said waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Well you have a way of pulling off pretty much anything." She admitted.

"You should have seen me in the seventies." He grinned.

"Don't tell me you wore bell bottoms." She giggled. "Did you disco?"

"No I did not _disco_." He scoffed. "Mostly black leather pants then. I never got on the bell bottom train. I did have really long hair though."

She frowned trying to picture him with long hair but she just couldn't put the image in her head.

"I don't think you should go back to that." She smiled playing with his messy dark locks.

"I'm way overdue for a haircut actually. It's kind of shaggy." He frowned.

"I could cut it for you." She offered.

"Do you know how?" He asked raising en eyebrow cautiously.

"Ye of little faith." She smiled. "I happen to cut Jer's hair for him all the time."

"I don't know." He said looking nervous.

She rolled her eyes_, Damon and his ego_.

"Don't you trust me?" She asked with a little pout.

He sighed heavily. "The pouty face Elena? That's just unfair."

"Go sit down in the bathroom." She directed.

"I didn't say yes yet." He said raising his eyebrows.

She pouted at him again leaning her body in closer to him.

"Fine, but just a trim," He muttered sulking into the bathroom.

She grabbed the scissors from the drawer and followed him with a pleased little grin on her face. He was staring at her nervously when she walked in holding the scissors.

She laughed out loud it felt good to just laugh. To just be with him doing normal mundane everyday things in this tiny little place they were in was so amazing. It was like a never ending honeymoon in here. She was torn between missing her family and friends and wanting to stay here forever, literally.

"Don't worry Damon, I'm not going to do a hack job on your hair, I happen to enjoy looking at you." She laughed standing in between his legs and gazing down at him.

He smirked up at her and looked a little more relaxed.

"Almost as much as you do," She added with a little laugh.

She started wetting and combing his hair down leaning over him which gave him a bird's eye view of her chest.

"This isn't so bad after all." He smirked.

"Don't distract me." She warned him when he started nibbling at her breasts over her slip. She suddenly felt a little nervous what if she did mess up his hair? Damon probably wouldn't get over it easily.

"Why are you nervous? I thought you knew what you were doing?" He said suddenly looking alarmed.

"You're making me nervous." She sighed, "It's _just hair_ now relax so I can relax."

He nodded and focused on staring at her breasts while she started trimming his hair. She was extra careful and took her time. She just shortened it up a little bit. She ruffled it making it kind of messy like it was the first day she met him. His blue eyes popped even more and she stared at his chiseled face lustfully.

"Looking good," She smiled and winked handing him a little mirror, He stared into for a while tilting his head and nodding in approval.

"Damn I'm so hot I'm turning myself on," He smirked pulling her down to his lap and capturing her lips.

"You're all full of hair." She laughed attempting to jump off of him but he held tight and picked her up guiding them both into the shower. She squealed as he slipped her slip of and started the water jumping in with her and quickly rinsing the hair off his chest.

"All clean now." He grinned at her like a school boy and she laughed throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

* * *

Over an hour later they emerged from the bathroom glowing in the aftermath again.

"All the candles are still lit." She smiled.

"I was going to seduce you." He said grabbing her arm and walking over towards the table. "You beat me to it."

"Me? I think you were the seducer there Damon." She laughed shaking her head.

"Wrong." He said smiling when he walked over to the laptop. "You were staring at me with that sexy little _take me _look in your eyes."

"I was not." She said lamely blushing and grinning because she supposed she was sort of doing that.

"Yes you were and I cannot resist that darling." He said opening the wine bottle and pouring a couple of glasses.

"That's thicker then blood." She gasped.

"I know it's awesome." He quipped.

"Are you _sure_ this is safe for me to drink?" She asked doubtfully. "Isn't it like over one hundred years old?"

"So am I and you drink me." He said pushing the glass closer to her. "Now quit being a wet blanket and drink up."

"I just don't want to get wine poisoning or something." She muttered. He just rolled his eyes at her and clinked his glass against hers. She gingerly took a sip from the wine and was surprised at how smooth and tasty it was.

"Oh this is good." She smiled approvingly.

"Told you so," He smirked downing his glass and pouring another half way full he mixed some blood into it and she watched him curiously.

"Is that for the cravings?" She asked.

"Mostly for the taste, it helps make the alcohol more potent too" He shrugged.

"If you drink from me when I'm drunk do you get a contact high?" She asked curiously, she was beyond the point if being scared of the vampire stuff a long time ago but now with Damon she had crossed over into being fascinated by it. She wanted to know everything about him and what he was what she would be someday.

"Not the on the amount I take from you." He said sipping the wine blood mix and closing his eyes in satisfaction.

"Want a taste?" He asked holding his glass out when he noticed her staring at him.

"No I'm good." She laughed.

"Mm 'kay…" He teased winking at her and taking another sip she guzzled down some more of her own wine.

"Wait till you see what song I found." He said flipping his lap top open. "Speakers suck, but we can make do."

The, All I need song from Within Temptation came on and she gasped and smiled widely.

"Damon I love you." She smiled tearing up and stroking his face.

He just grinned at her and swept her up into his arms dancing around the small room with her. She locked eyes with him just like she did at the dance. Only now her guard was down and she knew how she felt. The confusion was gone and she gazed at him enjoying the tender loving look in his eyes as he stared back at her pulling her so close she could swear even now having spent all this time with him and just him her heart stopped as if she was under his trance.

Damon suddenly tensed in her arms and she stared up in confusion he put a finger to his lips and guided her into the bathroom.

"Stay here until I say it's okay." He leaned down and whispered quietly leaving her in the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

_Like hell I will_, she thought, looking around the bathroom for a weapon.

* * *

**VA**

Katherine was smirking to herself as she raided Elena's closet for something to wear. She had lucked out big time with the timing of this thing the school's winter dance was tonight and it just wouldn't look right if Elena didn't show up with Stefan on her arm of course.

Katherine was glad Rose had discarded all of Elena's things. When Katherine replicated her room she added a few items of clothing that were more her style not to obvious…but she couldn't walk around looking like a prude with all that skin covered up. She felt like a boy in the damn sneakers Elena seemed to favor.

"Elena?" Jenna knocked on her door.

"Yes Aunt Jenna?" Katherine called trying to hold down the bile in her throat.

"I know the dance is tonight, but we really need to talk soon Elena you ran away." Jenna said sighing her heart was racing nervously.

"I came back though." Katherine said in a gentle tone.

"We need to talk about it Elena." Jenna persisted.

"Later Aunt Jenna, I really need to get ready." Katherine sighed.

"Tomorrow, promise?" Jenna persisted her damn heart still pumping that blood.

"Yeah okay I promise." Katherine said trying her best to sound sincere.

"Okay." Jenna sighed.

Katherine was annoyed she wasn't a fan of cohabitating with humans the last time she went down that road she made mistakes and lost her heart along the way. She had a feeling history was going to repeat but this time he would leave her in the mist. Turned out it was going to break her worse than him. She was humbled to realize the brother she left heartbroken was the brother she didn't even consider. The one she allowed herself to crack for, to fall for…had moved on and didn't even want her around.

Part of her did actually feel for Stefan now because he was the one left hurting. Somehow until now he seemed to escape the pain of their past. At least he appeared to. Where Damon was left scarred and so was she more than anyone even realized. Stefan on the other hand had somehow regained his humanity and held to it pretty easily. He seemed to have been able to move along and find love again as if she never even mattered to him.

Part of her would always hate Elena for that but a larger part of her was grateful to Elena. She left Stefan wide open for her. At least that was what she had assumed, she figured he would take it out on her, then go off on a blood spree, then eventually come crawling back to her desperate and lost.

She was wrong. Even in his heartache Stefan retained his humanity continued on his pursuit to save Elena and was still living a depressing but normal life. He even seemed to be getting closer to that Caroline girl. What was she thinking turning that twit? How could Stefan even spare a glance at that pathetic girl when she was in the room was beyond her. But it was beyond frustrating she didn't come here and sever the 145 year old triangle just to get caught up in another one.

She sighed and put on the little black cocktail dress she had purchased despite Bonnie's concerns that Elena wouldn't wear a dress that short.

"Well Elena's growing up." Katherine said out loud. "How about that?"

She twirled around and admired her reflection she wished she could wear her hair curly but it would pretty much be a dead giveaway.

"Elena, Stefan's here." Jeremy called.

Katherine smirked and sauntered down the stairs staring into his eyes. He was dressed in a black basic suit that was tailored nicely against his muscular body. Jenna was watching them with a goofy smile so he didn't have a choice but to smile at her and take her arm.

"You look so handsome Stefan." Katherine smiled.

"You look great as well Elena." He said stiffly.

"I'm going to pick up Bonnie and I'll meet you guys there." Jeremy said walking to the door looking nervous. Katherine thought he looked kind of sexy in his suit with his hair combed back nicely. She remembered how yummy his blood was when she smelled it pumping hard his heart was racing with teenage nervousness.

Too bad she couldn't just have a little taste; she thought longingly, teen human boys were pretty much her weakness. Elena's ex-boyfriend Matt was absolutely _delicious_. If Caroline found out she had had more than a few fun times snacking on the football player she'd probably lose her mind. Katherine considered telling her just to witness the reaction.

"You kids have fun." Jenna smiled. "Tomorrow Elena."

"Yes tomorrow promise." Katherine said smiling at her as Stefan ushered her out quickly.

"Tomorrow what?" Stefan whispered as soon as they were outside.

"She wants to talk to me err Elena about her running away. I'll just compel her." Katherine shrugged.

"No, you won't." Stefan said darkly.

"What else are we going do? Rose already made sure her disappearance wasn't reported. Jenna the only one who knows, don't you think she thinks it's creepy that all of Elena's stuff disappeared and then her and her stuff just reappeared a week later?" Katherine asked.

"Well yeah, but you can explain it come up with something." Stefan said looking flustered.

"To much work, I'll just compel her to believe Elena never left." Katherine said.

"No I won't let you." He said firmly gripping her arm.

"Just get in the car. Jenna's going to wonder why we're standing in the driveway." Katherine rolled her eyes easily slipping out his grip and jumping in his car. He got in and took off speeding a little his jaw set in a firm line.

* * *

The drove silently for a while the tension between them heavy. Katherine glanced at him he ws gripping the steering wheel and his jaw was set in a firm line.

"You will not compel Jenna, Katherine." He said turning to stare at her.

"Are _you_ trying to compel me Stefan?" She laughed. "Won't work, you're not an original."

"I'm serous." He said looking like he was about to blow up over it.

"I don't get it what's the big deal?" Katherine asked.

"The big deal is you almost _killed_ Jenna the last time you messed with her mind." He imploded.

"Okay, yeah well I was angry, and had a point to make, besides did she hit any vital organs Stefan?" Katherine asked.

"As if _you_...no you lucked out." He muttered.

"I know what lines not to cross. I'm not Damon; luckily _Elena_ is more forgiving then you." Katherine snapped.

Stefan gulped and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Damon lost his grip on humanity when you broke him." Stefan said knowing full well what she was alluding to. "And your right Elena is more forgiving then me or anyone else on the planet but her family means everything and if I let you mess with Jenna's mind it's an action she wouldn't forgive."

"You don't owe her a damn thing." Katherine said.

"Maybe I don't, but I'm a good guy and I will not let you hurt Jenna." Stefan said. "If I have to stand guard every night I will."

"Stefan it will make her life easier, she's constantly on edge. She's probably waiting for 'Elena' to take off again." Katherine stressed.

"Don't start pretending you're doing this because you care." He rolled his eyes. "I'll never buy that."

"What if someone talks to Jenna? She could slip and mention Elena taking off and coming back. That could blow us right out of the water." Katherine pointed out.

Stefan stopped arguing then and frowned, his eyebrows furrowed into that little worried look that Katherine thought was adorable.

"You need to talk to Jeremy about it." He finally said. "It has to be Jeremy's decision, it can't be mine."

"I never said it was you _made _it yours." Katherine snapped. "I'm not asking a sixteen year old for permission for a damn thing."

"Yes you are." Stefan gripped her arm.

"You're hot when you get rough with me." She whispered giving him a seductive smile.

"Go to hell." He muttered.

"You're driving past the school." She pointed out with a smirk.

He grimaced slightly and backtracked pulling into the school parking lot. She frowned seeing Caroline was waiting for them in the parking lot.

"Hey Stefan," She said smiling she had style her hair in a loose up do and was wearing a pretty impressive white halter style dress.

"Hi Caroline you look nice." Stefan said politely.

"Thanks." She smiled lightly.

"Do you regularly flirt with Elena's friends in front of her?" Katherine asked in a haughty tone.

"I'm not flirting." He muttered looking embarrassed.

Jeremy and Bonnie pulled up breaking the tension Stefan allowed Katherine to take his arm and they walked into the dance together.

"This is just weird." Jeremy said.

"Just act normal." Bonnie stressed.

They all walked in and scanned the room carefully for anyone that seemed out of place. Jeremy stood protectively next to Bonnie which Katherine thought was hilarious. Bonnie had ten times the strength of Jeremy and that was just halfcocked once she came into her full powers she would be very powerful even more then Emily was. This potentially means she could become a major threat but Katherine would deal with that when the time came for it.

"Will you dance with me this time if I ask?" Jeremy asked Bonnie grinning at her.

"Are you asking me?" She asked a twinkle in her eye.

"Yeah." He shuffled his feet.

"Then ask her right moron." Katherine said rolling her eyes.

Jeremy glared at her and turned back to Bonnie.

"Bonnie will you dance with me?" Jeremy asked his face red.

"I would love to." Bonnie smiled at him then glared at Katherine before taking off to the dance floor with him.

"Stefan?" Katherine purred giving him the sweet 'doe eyed' look.

"Fine." He grunted pulling her out unto the dance floor.

Caroline frowned and walked over to a group of girls Katherine gave her a wicked smile when she noticed her glancing back at them.

Katherine stoked Stefan's cheek and gazed into his eyes her mouth slightly parted and her eyes wide.

"I love you Stefan." She said.

"Was that you being Elena or you?" He whispered in a low vampire tone.

"The expression was hers, I do love you Stefan, and I don't know how many times I have to say it until you actually believe it." She whispered back.

"I don't believe you're actually capable of love." He said.

"That's just bull." Katherine snapped.

"Careful Elena." He reminded her his face flinching calling her 'Elena'.

"Of course I'm capable of love Stefan." She whispered. "I love you."

"You have no humanity left in you, human life means nothing to you and _love_...love is a game for your amusement. You didn't care about the damage you left behind. That's not love." Stefan said.

"You seem to be doing just fine Stefan." She whispered in an angry tone. "Not scarred at all."

"I wasn't talking about me." He said glaring at her.

"You're angry about Damon?" She said looking confused.

"You destroyed my brother, me and my brother, he hated me for years because of you. You let me believe you were dead, you let me mourn you, you let Damon obsess over you thinking he could save you someday that he had a happy ending waiting for him. Then finally we come here and start to rebuild whatever it is we're rebuilding here and in you come to try and wreck it all again." Stefan said staring intensely at her.

"Let me count the reasons you hate me." She drawled as he spun her around. They stepped right back into their natural rhythm with each other as if it was 1864 all over again despite the heated conversation. Their bodies seemed to just move naturally with each other.

"That would take all night." He rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance when she tightened her arms around his neck.

"I didn't wreck you guys again; you were _bonding_ against me a common enemy. Elena wrecked you guys again." Katherine pointed out.

"No she didn't we're not torn apart, I don't hate him or her. I did at first until I saw them. Their _happy_ happier then either of them have been for a long time. I love them both enough to still wish the best for them. It makes me sad and a whole mess of other things but she didn't tear us apart."

Katherine narrowed her eyes in anger, how was it that the doppelganger could run off with said brother and yet still she was forgiven.

"You did though Katherine, and then you tried again when you came here and told Damon it was always me knowing it would kill him, you terrorized Elena and, you _you _are the one who pushed their feelings for each other." Stefan said.

"I did?" She scoffed.

"The _porch_ Katherine that kiss is what made him realize how badly he wanted it." Stefan said. "And I don't know how I know, but, I just _know_ you had something to with Elena's decision. You weren't at all surprised by it."

"I'm not blind." She said flippantly.

"You can't blame me for that Stefan. It was bound to happen at some point." Katherine added with a pointed glance at him.

"Why? Was it easy to fall in love with him? Am I what too boring? Not good enough in bed?" Stefan asked.

"Are you asking me or her?" Katherine asked.

"You seem to have so much insight into her I can only assume it's because you relate." He said.

"Wrong." She said flatly.

"I never loved him, he was fun and I was bored, I was trying not to get attached to you. I didn't want to fall in love with you Stefan. He was supposed to be the distraction. It didn't work though _obviously_." Katharine said.

"You destroyed us because you needed a distraction." Stefan shook his head.

"Don't get so angry looking, people will start gossiping." Katherine said coyly.

He sighed and spun her around again his face seemed to relax but his eyes still looked irritated.

"The important thing here is I love you." She said smiling at him. "I didn't love you and then fall for someone else; it was always you and always will be."

"At what cost?" He muttered. "It wasn't even real you compelled me."

"To drink my blood, not to love me," She whispered harshly she was really sick of that statement.

She noticed his eyes flickering off into the distance and turned to see Caroline glancing over at them.

"Stefan, stop making gooey eyes at the blond across the room." Katherine snapped.

"I'm _not_…she's my friend and she's here alone. I just want to make sure she's okay." Stefan said.

"Whatever." Katherine said pulling his head down to hers quickly.

"What are you doing?" He whispered.

"Kissing my boyfriend at the dance," She smirked pressing her lips against his and snaking her hands through his hair, he remained stiff as she moved her lips against his. She pressed closer and finally his lips parted and he was kissing her back. She could feel her desire taking over quickly and knew she could easily have him now dominate him easily, but _Elena_ wouldn't do that in the middle of the dance. So she managed to pull back and instead smirked knowingly at the sheepish but lustful look in his shadowed eyes.

* * *

_**Hope you liked the update! It was fun to do a Kat/ Elena chapter. Please review! **_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 **

* * *

**WI**

Damon could sense the intruder wasn't trying to be quiet and that made him assume it was Benjamin but regardless of his note, Damon wasn't going to take any unnecessary risks with Elena. He quickly jumped up and out the trap door climbing into the wine cellar a stake gripped firmly in hand and a vervain dart tucked in his pocket.

"I'm not going to hurt you." A voice said from the darkness.

Damon's eyes found the figure in the corner of the room. Benjamin was dressed in dark jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. He looked any average teenage you would see hanging out outside the mall or a school somewhere. He had his dark now short hair tucked under a baseball hat. It used to be shoulder length and curly. He actually looked thinner than he had when Damon knew him. He looked to be of Latin descent but his dark skin had paled slightly from when Damon knew him as a human. His eyes were different too they were still large and brown but held a certain power behind them, something that told you not to stare into the dark orbs for too long.

"But you're not worried about you." Benjamin continued. "I won't hurt her either. I give you my word on that."

"Why should I trust you?" Damon asked.

"You can't kill me Damon so trusting me is your only other choice." Benjamin said.

"Don't make assumptions Benjamin. I'm not the freshly turned man you met back then." Damon said.

"I realize that, however I'm not a seventeen year old warlock anymore either. My powers far exceed anything you have ever witnessed and unlike humans. I can keep going and going I don't wear out easily." Benjamin said. "When I said you can't kill me I meant it quite literally. I am not only faster, stronger, smarter but I have magical abilities not to mention a magic shield around my heart preventing a stake from being able to penetrate it."

"What, wait you mean...so the original witch/ vamp..." Damon mumbled.

"No he's dead and he was a warlock/vamp, watch that. You call me a witch and I'll start calling you a succubus." Benjamin said cracking a grin.

"But you said…"

"I put the shield around my heart, what does a warlock vampire in hiding do with 145 years? I decided to practice spells." Benjamin smiled. "Protection spells are my specialty and that's why Elijah hasn't found you here. No one will."

"I killed Elijah." Damon said his eyes wide.

"No you didn't." Benjamin said. "Now should we go downstairs and talk? I hear wood cracking I think your mate is trying to make a stake. Allow me to put her and your mind at ease. I'm not an enemy Damon. I'm here to help you."

Damon craned his ears and did indeed hear Elena trying to break something.

"I need to know I can trust you around her." Damon said not moving from near the trap door the led downstairs.

"I'm here. I turned because I knew she was going to be born." Benjamin said. "I'm here to make sure she is not sacrificed. I refuse to let my ancestors promise be broken."

Damon studied the man carefully his face and eyes were sincere he nodded at Damon. Memories of Benjamin pulling him out of that room, bloody and half conscious, bringing him to safety filled his Damon's mind. He was the first person that ever stood up for him and helped him. He wanted to trust him, and something told him he could.

"You let me believe I killed you." Damon said shaking his head. "You used my blood and my bloodlust to turn yourself knowing it marked both of us."

"I didn't have a choice Damon; I'll explain everything to both of you. I don't want to tell the story twice." Benjamin sighed.

Damon stared at him for a moment somehow he knew he could believe Benjamin but he was still angry about all of this. The idea that someone used his blood and turned themselves was irritating it made him feel sort of violated. He believed that Benjamin somehow knew about Elena and the doppelganger curse back then _and _he believed his turning was about some bigger plan. But he didn't like the fact that he had been kept in the dark about everything. What if Benjamin just kept making his own plans and Elena got hurt in the cross fire? When it came to her and her protection he needed to know everything.

"I get that you aren't going to trust me…you're pissed that I exist and _why _I exist and that I did it behind your back, but you can trust me with your mate's life. That is a promise and we're both from the 19th century promises still mean something to me. I know they do to you to." Benjamin said his eyes pleading.

"Alright we'll talk." Damon said. "Her name is Elena, btw."

"I know her name." Benjamin said with a grin as he followed him down.

Damon narrowed his eyes towards him before jumping down into the room.

* * *

"You can come out Elena, it's okay." Damon said.

She crept out from the bathroom a hand behind her back.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." Benjamin said holding his hands up and smiling at her.

She looked at him for a few moments and then at Damon who nodded at her. She set the piece of ragged wood down and Damon started laughing despite the tension in the room.

"Is that the plunger handle?" He managed to ask in between fits of laughter.

"Give her points for creativity." Benjamin chuckled.

"I didn't realize you guys weren't in here." She flushed a pretty little shade of red and Damon just chuckled again and ruffled her hair.

"So you're..." She started.

"Benjamin, but call me Ben." He said extending a hand.

She stared at him her eyes narrowed and didn't offer her hand.

"You're upset because you feel as if I marked your mate for death. I understand, but I'll explain everything." Benjamin said calmly. Damon suddenly felt a wave of calm wash over him and narrowed his eyes he glanced at Elena who sat at the table appearing _very relaxed_ all the sudden.

"Did you do something to her?" Damon said his eyes wide with accusation. "Her moods don't switch that drastically."

"I just calmed her." Benjamin said holding his hands up.

"Don't mess with my mind." Elena said but she still remained calm lying back in the seat and staring at him curiously.

"I apologize. I was simply trying to ease the tension and anger in the room so will be open to hearing what I have to say." Benjamin said. "It's just a vibe of calm I sent over you, I didn't mess with your mind...it's kind of like giving you a few drinks."

"I'm sure you've had some good times with that trick." Damon muttered.

Elena gasped and swatted at him crossing her arms.

"I am a man." Ben smirked.

"Why did you call Damon my mate?" Elena asked curiously.

"Because he is," Benjamin smiled at her and this time she returned his smile.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Why don't we get to that later?" He offered. "Let me explain why I'm here and why I exist as well as why _you do_." He pointed at Elena and she nodded.

"So it all starts who knows when or where, everything I know is passed down from generation to generation, but what I do know is at one time many supernatural beings walked the earth. Fights and battles took place but there was a balance. They say shamans or witches and warlocks were the glue that held that balance together. But overtime supernatural entities started fighting more and more. Humans were fruitful in attempts to fight back. Vampires were always the most envied because they have eternal life what every creature on earth desires. Then one day a warlock decided he wanted that everything went to hell so to speak." Benjamin started.

"We read this much online." Damon said.

"Well it basically all comes down to love." Ben said. "The warlock that turned him, he had been going down a rough path for a long time. He was a part of arguably the most powerful witch coven of all time. They fought for him. Then finally one day a young girl came into his life from nowhere. Charlotte Petrova, she was like a light in all the darkness... It was said her smile could light up a room; her touch could calm even the deepest rage. She was truly a special girl. He fell in love with her fast and hard and according to legends she had turned him around. He had given up his quest for enteral life and his dabbling on the dark side ended. She had even moved in with the large coven and they all protected her. After only weeks she was engaged to marry him. So when out of nowhere Micah the young warlock ended up missing and came back as a vampire. It was assumed Klaus forced his hand. Klaus denied this claim of course and a war started."

"Oh my gosh," Elena gasped. "What did Charlotte do?"

"She was heartbroken; the second Micah returned as a vampire his family had no choice but to stake him. She cried so hard legends say it rained for weeks straight. But it was Micah's powerful sister Oksana that reacted the hardest; she refused to ever let this happen again. And so she prepared herself to cast the biggest spell any witch had ever attempted and to do it she needed the blood of a heart stricken girl." Ben said.

"Charlotte?" Elena gasped. "Oksana killed her brother's finance?"

"Charlotte offered herself up. She had no desire to live without Micah." Ben explained.

"The spell was a success and the werewolves and vampires powers were restricted. A treaty of peace was somewhat established as well a new balance created. Originals agreed to stop turning humans and it was also cemented that no vampire could ever turn another supernatural being again. "

Elena threw him a pointed look.

He smirked sheepishly. "Oops… anyways this is where the doppelganger loophole comes in. It was the only way to get the originals to agree to the terms as long as the Petrova bloodline continued it was possible for a doppelganger to be born which could undo the sun and moon and curse. If this is to happen it would be the beginning of the end of the world. I can promise you that." Ben finished by pacing the room and letting out a deep breath.

"Oh my…" Elena breathed. "So are you a descendent of Oksana?"

"No I'm not, but your best friend is." Ben said.

"How do you know so much about her life?" Damon asked his eyes narrowing.

"I checked in from time to time, from a distance. Like I said I know a lot of spells." Ben said. "I cannot let the curse be broken."

"What do you mean about Bonnie?" Elena asked.

"Oksana created a protection spell with her love for her friend Charlotte, as long as her blood line continued every time a doppelganger was born one of her descendants would be born soon after and that witch would and _will _do anything to protect the doppelganger whether she wants to or not..." Ben said.

"So where do you come in?" Damon asked raising an eyebrow. He hadn't realized how important Bonnie was to Elena's life. He wondered if taking Elena away from Bonnie was the right thing to do now. He had his pride but when it came to her he would take whatever help he could get in saving her.

He could see by Elena's relieved face expression that her thoughts were traveling in the opposite direction she didn't like at all that Bonnie's purpose was to protect her. Elena didn't want to drag Bonnie or any of her friends into this. He guessed Elena would do everything she could to keep this information from reaching her best friend.

"I am a descendant of the warlock that loved Oksana and swore to do anything to protect her and her descendants. He promised her his descendants would keep the curse in place, he kept the story in the family through the centuries so we would never forget it. When it was my time to learn the truth it was 1864 right after everything happened in Mystic Falls. It seemed the doppelganger that turned herself was dead and it was all over." Ben explained.

"But?" Damon prompted.

"But I didn't believe that. I wanted to keep the promise and the story, but I felt like a more direct action needed to be taken. I was the last of my blood line and…I had a choice. I debated with it for a long time. Then I had a vision a vision of _you_ Elena. I knew it wasn't Katerina and I knew it was in a later time, it was short and fuzzy but Damon was in it too. You were in grave danger and he was desperate to save you … When it registered with me that it was the Salvatore brother Damon who supposedly died. I knew at that point something big was telling _me _to do something big." Ben sat down at the table and took a drink from the wine bottle left there.

"So you decided to turn yourself?" Damon asked.

"It made more sense to prepare _myself _to face off against Klaus then hope one of many descendants can get it right." Ben said. "It made even more sense to use your blood and stay close in a way to you; as _you_ would clearly lead me to her someday."

"But it's strictly forbidden. It's the reason this whole thing happened to begin with." Elena said quietly her face furrowed.

"So I broke the one and probably only vampire law?" Damon offered looking slightly amused.

"Damon it's not funny." Elena sighed.

"I know but he's got a point and clearly being a warlock vampire makes you almost as strong as Klaus doesn't it?" Damon asked.

"I don't know. I've never faced off against an original. I've kept a low profile, but I doubt it. Klaus has been around since the beginning of time. I do however know of two ways to kill an original vampire, so what I'm proposing is we work together we'll come up with a plan to kill Klaus and Elijah and then I will destroy the moonstone." Ben said. "After that it's over."

"It sounds too easy." Elena said doubtfully. "Wait did you say Elijah?"

"Only two ways to kill them huh?" Damon scoffed. He was amazed at the uncanny luck he had when it came to with people staying dead when he killed them.

"Unfortunately." Ben shrugged. "Nether way is exactly easy…either."

"Of course it isn't." Damon muttered.

"So you have been waiting all this time for me, to plan to kill Klaus? Why not have just done it without me?" Elena asked.

"Good question." Damon said glancing at Ben curiously.

"He's more vulnerable if she exists." Ben said. "I can't explain how, but like I said Charlotte was a special girl so is Elena. She is human absolutely one hundred percent but there is a certain light and fire about her. Legends say maybe Charlotte was touched by an angel, that her light was strong enough to weaken the dark side of any creature. I think you inherited the same aura."

"That doesn't explain Katherine though." Elena frowned.

Damon gazed at her no it didn't but he didn't care, it explained Elena. Her always knew she was a good pure soul this only proved that.

"I never found any information on what Katerina was like as a human it is strange how much you are like Charlotte and how different she is." Ben frowned. "I would imagine there is a reason for that."

"Wow." Elena sat back digesting all of this she pulled Damon's robe around her tighter.

"So you knew I'd bring her here eventually…" Damon said.

"I protected this place; no one can track you here." Ben told them.

"Thank you." Elena breathed.

"Elijah is alive is he after us?" Damon asked.

"I can't actually do a tracking spell on him because he's an original so he's immune to them. I happened to check in when Elena was kidnapped and saw you 'kill' him. I knew he wasn't dead then. I hoped you were bringing her here right away so I came here and waited when you didn't come I left you the note. I needed to go and get some supplies." He held up his backpack.

"What I have in here are a few toys that will weaken him." Ben said. "I also know of an old fashioned secret parlor trick that can temporarily immobilize him."

"Okay so on to the important thing." Damon said. "How do we kill him?"

"Two ways, the first is difficult." He explained. "A dagger exists that was blessed by a witch, it's said if its dipped in white oak ash and staked through the heart the original dies, _but_ the dagger kills any demon that uses it. So essentially we'd have to have Elena use it."

Damon glanced at Elena and shook his head. "What's the other way?"

"I could do it." She protested, "We're talking about saving the word here."

"The other way?" Damon ignored her.

"_Damon_." She thundered her face red. "If you guys beat him down first I could do it. We could plan something."

"Can you do that calm thing again?" Damon joked earning another glare from Elena.

"I'm kidding." Damon laughed ruffling her hair. She ignored him crossing her arms a scowl on her face.

"Klaus is the oldest vampire of all time I don't want you close enough to him to stake him Elena."

"But I weaken him." She pointed out.

"Only to an extent," Ben warned her. "You're still human, he's still an original. Besides I have no idea where this dagger is. I've been looking for it for 145 years and nothing."

"So what's plan B then?" Damon asked.

"It would be very difficult." Ben said. "Damn near impossible to achieve."

"No vampire is immune to it not even an original, not without one of these anyway." Ben held up his ring.

"You mean burn him in the sun?" Damon asked.

"Right which means we would have to both get his ring off _and_ get him in the sun and hold him there long enough…like I said nearly impossible." Ben said.

"But you're the spell man." Damon pointed at him with a smirk.

"That I am." Ben smiled.

"So shall we brainstorm then?" Damon asked grabbing another bottle of wine from the pantry and an extra glass for Ben.

"First you should probably make up with your girlfriend." Ben whispered. "I think she's still a little pissed at you."

"Where are you going?" Damon asked. "What if someone's following you?"

"I would know if anyone was following me. No one knows I even exist, the Bennett's the Pertrova's and the Salvatore's are what is talked about no one even remembers my family's part in things. We were pretty insignificant."

"Until now," Damon offered.

"Forever. No one ever has to know about me and no one ever will. Now you two kiss and make up and, don't worry about it. You are safe here. I made damn sure of it. I'm just going upstairs to my old house. The tenant is gone for the night. I'll order some pizzas." He offered opening the latch and heading upstairs.

Damon smirked and poked her side. "Don't be mad. I'm just trying to protect you."

"You have to trust me, I get a say in things, I don't want to be disregarded." She said crossing her arms.

"You're not. You're in on all our plans Elena. I really value your input on things believe it or not." He said honestly. "But that does not mean I'm going to let you rush head first into danger."

"If we can find that dagger..." She trailed off.

"Stop," He said. "If we do we'll talk about it then, for now we don't have it and running around searching for it would put us in danger. This place is protected."

"It's weird knowing this witch has been waiting for me to be born and like watching over me." She said crinkling her nose.

"Call him a warlock he's sensitive about that." Damon whispered.

She giggled and then sighed." I can't stay mad at you."

"It's because I'm so adorable." Damon grinned.

She rolled her eyes and swatted him.

"So this is it, we start making plans to kill Klaus." She said slowly.

He pulled her into his lap and held her tightly against him.

"We're going to win." He promised and now with this knowledge behind them and a partner and an _efficient_ partner at that he actually believed it.

* * *

**VA**

"Don't ever do that again," Stefan whispered angrily stalking off the dance floor Katherine followed him outside.

"What don't you and Elena ever kiss? I'm making it look real." She said coyly.

He turned and glared at her shaking his head in frustration.

"I know it probably isn't like _that _when you kiss her though." She added with a seductive grin.

"I hate you." He spat out looking down.

"I can't keep doing this. I'm trying to move and you're making it impossible." He said he felt as if he was jumping out of his skin a kiss from that woman was not supposed to affect him in that way. He didn't love her, he didn't, whatever he felt for her died when he thought she did. He had to hold on to that or he would go crazy.

"You weren't thinking about her just now you liar." She spat out.

"Keep telling yourself that Katherine." He spat back feeling a rush of empowerment when her face broke just slightly at his words.

"Don't say her name _out loud_ Stefan." Bonnie hissed coming out behind them Jeremy was behind her looking worried.

"You really can be an idiotic sometimes." Jeremy added swatting him upside the head.

"Hey." Stefan said glancing at him with surprise.

"You needed it. Get it together man." Jeremy whispered.

"Thanks." Stefan muttered avoiding Katherine's gaze. Jeremy was right he did need that and he needed this little game to end soon.

"What is going on here?" Caroline exclaimed looking worried when she came out after them.

"Gangs all here," Katherine scoffed.

"Look we don't need to draw this much attention to ourselves." Bonnie sighed. "Come on guys. We're supposed to be luring Klaus here remember?"

"We need to come up with a plan and move on it. I'm tired of this charade already." Stefan sighed.

"Let's go to the boarding house then." Caroline agreed right away. Stefan sent her a grateful look he was glad he had her in his corner it made him feel less alone.

"What about Elijah?' Katherine whispered.

It was strange to actually see Katherine fear someone. It should in turn make him fear the original but instead he felt this strange draw to protect her or assure her it was okay. _She's not Elena_, he berated himself.

Katherine was staring at him curiously clearly seeing at least some part of his mental battle. _And probably enjoying it_, he reminded himself.

"He wants Klaus dead to; we'll we just tell him we're not waiting." Stefan said. "Why drag it out?"

"Let's go." Bonnie said.

* * *

Elijah and Jonas were waiting for them inside the boarding house when they got here; Stefan on instinct jumped in front of the group realizing he once again put himself in front of Katherine protectively it disturbed him. He tried to tell himself it was for the humans and Caroline who was right behind her, but he knew that wasn't entirely true and cursed himself for it.

"So you all plan to go _rouge_?" Elijah asked in a soft voice.

"Don't think you're not being watched." He added when no one spoke.

"We need a plan we're sick of waiting." Stefan said.

"Don't be foolish and disrespectful of your elders." Elijah said. "I might confuse you for your brother."

"I want to know what we're doing as well. I'm not running blindly into anything." Bonnie spoke up.

"You will, so many times." Elijah said in a thoughtful voice. "You're simply not ready yet."

"Not ready for what" Bonnie asked.

"To defeat him, you're not strong enough." Elijah said.

"But the other two witches…" Bonnie said.

"I don't think it will be enough." Elijah said.

"Why do you need witches?" Katherine asked.

"They will know what they need to do when the time is right." Elijah waived his arm.

"If you want us to actually be efficient in helping you we need to know what we're doing." Stefan pointed out.

Elijah rolled his eyes in annoyance and gestured at Jonas to speak.

"Klaus can't be killed in any traditional vampire methods we need to weaken him and then a mortal will need to deliver the final blow with a special dagger. However, a weakening spell will only slightly help. We need a stronger witch to weaken Klaus's powers. While Luka and I can help her it still just isn't enough yet, not without…" Jonas stopped after Elijah nodded at him and Bonnie looked at him curiously.

"Not without what?" Bonnie asked.

"Nothing, the point is you aren't strong enough to weaken him." Jonas said.

"So why are we waiting? Why are we playing this Katherine is Elena charade?" Stefan asked. "If you think we're going to lose anyway?"

"There is a location supposedly here in Mystic Falls that was a witch burial ground; it would strengthen all of their powers. If we can lure Klaus there I believe we will succeed in killing him." Elijah said.

"So how do we lure him there?" Bonnie asked.

"We set up a sacrificial ceremony to break the curse." Elijah said. "Klaus wants to be the one to do it. He will come after me and we will be waiting for him."

"Let's do it." Stefan said he still wasn't entirely sold on Elijah's intentions he had a feeling Elijah had his own motives and plans and that worried him, but he also seemed like their best bet to defat Klaus and win this battle. "What are we waiting for then?"

"Well for starters," Elijah said slowly, "The dagger and the location."

"This dagger?" A voice surprised them all as Alaric walked into the room with a silver jagged looking dagger and a jar.

* * *

** So two plans are forming to kill Klaus, nether is aware of the other, and both sides are trusting an outsider …. this could get interesting. Please review!

_*BTW for this s/l Caroline isn't really hanging out with Tyler that much right now, but everything in Masquerade, Rose and Katerina still happened. After Elena left she was pulled into the Klaus drama and that's pretty much where her main focus is at this point. _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 **

* * *

"Is that it?" Stefan asked taking the dagger from Alaric and studying it carefully.

"It is." Elijah murmured sounding surprised. "Where did you locate it? How did you even know it exists?"

"Let's just say I'm a proficient digger." Alaric quipped.

"Well that certainly brings us closer." Jonas said.

"Indeed." Elijah standing up and walking to the door, he turned to look at then before leaving.

"I would suggest you refrain from going rouge. Your best shot at killing Klaus is if you work with us." Elijah said holding his gaze on Bonnie for a moment longer then she felt comfortable with.

"We will be in touch," Jonas added as they left.

She stared at Jonas's back as the door shut slowly behind him. She tried to get a vibe from him like she had with Lucy at the masquerade ball but she just couldn't get a read on the guy. Still something about the way Elijah and Jonas looked at her. Something about some of the things Elijah said to her bothered her. She felt like they knew something she didn't know and that it was important.

"I don't trust that guy." Alaric said. "I say we try this bad boy out."

"It can only be used once." Katherine said looking surprisingly bored considering the fact that Alaric just brought the very weapon they would use to kill Klaus to them.

"What why?" Stefan asked.

"Didn't Isobel tell you anything about it?" Katherine asked staring at Alaric with imploring eyes.

"Why would you assume I got it form Isobel?" He asked crossing his arms.

"You don't _really _want me to answer that question. Trust me." Katherine replied.

"Well I do." Bonnie interjected. "If you are in cahoots with Isobel tell us now Katherine."

"I'm not in cahoots with anyone Bennett." She rolled her eyes; Bonnie glared back at her she wasn't practically fond of Katherine calling her Bennett as if she was interchangeable with all the other Bennett witches Katherine had known through the years.

"Why would we believe you?" Stefan asked glancing at Katherine.

"Believe whatever you want. Isobel is my descendent and an associate. I always consider myself 'working' with her whether I have orders out to her or not. Cleary she gave Ricky the dagger so she's doing what she needs to do." Katherine said.

"So how did you know she gave me this then?" Alaric said, "If you didn't _give the order_."

Bonnie saw the glimmer in Katherine's eye and the smirk coming but it was too late to save Alaric any embarrassment when she blurted out the reason.

"Because I can smell her on you, _all over you_," Katherine said clicking her tongue.

Alaric's face turned about five shades of red and Bonnie could actually feel Jeremy's anger. She glanced back at him trying to send him calming thoughts but he looked like he was about to throttle Alaric. She saw Stefan causally start over putting himself in between the two of them without seeming to obvious about it.

"What would my Aunt Jenna think?" Katherine exclaimed in an Elena like voice forcing tears to come to her eyes.

"Stop it Katherine." Stefan said in a commanding voice. "Alaric what happened?"

"It's not what you think, she…she saved me." He sighed.

"Lucky her," Katherine grinned devilishly. "It's been so long…I could really use some 'saving' right now."

"It's not like that it wasn't…. I didn't… Jeremy I swear. I love Jenna." Alaric said earnestly. "I got caught up with a vampire. I had my ring on but he drained my body almost completely she gave me some blood to bring me back faster."

"Honest?" Caroline asked glaring at him.

"I swear." He said. "She tried, believe me, but I resisted. She left me she doesn't get another chance."

"That's just callous; you're as bad as Stefan." Katherine snapped.

"No it isn't." Bonnie said shaking her head. "He's right she left him he moved on he loves someone else. It is not callous for him to not want to give her a second chance, its smart."

"Love has nothing to do with logic." Katherine shrugged tossing a glance at Stefan before slinking up the stairs.

"Ric if I find out anything different, I swear." Jeremy said his face hard.

"It's true Jeremy. I promise." Alaric said sincerely.

"So she saves you and then just gives you the dagger?" Stefan asked doubtfully.

"She knew I was looking for them. She told me if I find them to give it to Damon to kill Klaus." He said. "I wanted to check back here first though. I've had no luck whatsoever in finding them."

"But I swear Jonas said something about a mortal having to use it." Bonnie mumbled.

"He did." Katherine said from the top of the stairs. "If Damon was to use that he would die. A demon cannot kill another demon with that thing."

"What!" Stefan exclaimed. "Isobel wants to get Damon killed?"

"The vampire that wants to kill her daughter and the vampire that wants to…well _kill _her daughter…why not two birds' one dagger." Katherine quipped.

"Damon would never kill Elena." Caroline said shaking her head.

_Yes he will_, Bonnie thought.

"Oh come on Caroline, you think he's going to watch her grow old and die?" Katherine asked.

"Oh you meant kill her as in turn her." Caroline nodded and frowned.

"She's quick." Katherine muttered.

"I mean… I'm not even sure how she feels about that." Caroline said glancing at Bonnie.

"I'm not touching this topic with three vampires in the room." Bonnie said wisely, thinking Grams would be proud of her for that.

"Can we talk about anything else?" Stefan pleaded. "Please..."

"I'm sorry Stefan." Caroline whispered.

Everyone shifted awkwardly casting nervous glances at Stefan.

"I'm okay, I can handle talking about them. I haven't moved on but I'm trying and I'm getting there…I just... I don't want to discuss things like their eternity together you know?" Stefan sighed looking embarrassed by all the concern over him.

Bonnie smiled he was such a nice person, a good person. She was finally starting to understand that she couldn't judge all vampires the same. She knew Stefan was a good guy inside and she was so proud of Caroline for how she managed to retain her humanity and even embrace the curse put on her. That didn't mean she wanted to see it happen to Elena, but Bonnie knew Elena's decisions were her own she wasn't going to make Elena choose or judge her about Damon. All that would do was cause a fight Bonnie knew she wouldn't win.

She did however have a few words for her. She felt like over the last few months she had become a part of the team and an essential part of it at that. She felt like Elena trusted in her abilities and her powers. How many times had Elena cried in frustration to Bonnie over the way Stefan or Damon made decisions for her or sheltered her? Then she turned around and did the same thing. Bonnie understood Elena wanted to keep them all safe, but she would have helped her. It was actually hard being away from Elena. She was scared Elena would end up luring Klaus to her and Damon and she wouldn't be there to help. If anything happened to Elena…the very thought terrified her.

"So how did you manage to get attacked by vampires?" Jeremy asked Alaric breaking the tension in the room.

"I was having zero luck tracking Bonnie and Clyde so I headed towards Duke to see if we missed anything in Isobel's study. I thought maybe I could find something that could help us since I was near the place anyway. When I got there her assistant Vanessa was being attacked I saved her but got drained for my efforts. I'm just glad Isobel found me." He explained.

"Is the girl okay?" Bonnie asked she hated that innocent people were always getting hurt in this mess.

"Yes she's fine." Alaric nodded. "Isobel took care of her."

"So who was it and what were they looking for?" Katherine mumbled.

"The dagger I would imagine." Alaric said.

"She had it there at duke?" Stefan asked wide eyed.

"Yeah, I guess she got it from John." Alaric said.

"Wow." Jeremy shook his head. "Elena needs to know not to trust Isobel or John."

"Her parents," Katherine scoffed.

"Not in any way that counts." Jeremy said.

"Why did you tell us, I thought the three of you were tight and you liked Isobel's ways of knowing what to do?" Stefan asked his gaze fixed on Katherine.

"I don't know." Katherine said looking thoughtful. "I really don't care if Damon dies, but I don't like how Isobel is withholding information from me and doing her own thing, acting on her own knowing it's in _my_ interest is one thing. I didn't order your brother's death Stefan. I wouldn't save him…but I wouldn't kill him either, unless I had to."

"Why" Stefan asked looking curious.

"Because it would hurt you and you need him." Katherine said Bonnie was surprised to see a sort of tenderness about her at that moment. She got up and flashed back up the stairs quickly but Bonnie noticed Stefan's gaze follow her. She looked over to see Caroline staring at Stefan looking…hurt?

_Oh no_, she thought glancing at Jeremy who winked and grinned taking her stare to mean something else.

She smiled and flushed, _yeah it's time to get out of here_, she thought to herself.

"So I'm beat." Bonnie yawned.

"Yep me to." Jeremy stifled a huge fake yawn. "Need a ride Bonnie?"

"That would be great Jeremy." She said trying to stop the wide smile from spreading across her face.

"Are you heading home Jeremy? I'm about to go see Jenna we could order a pizza." Alaric suggested.

"Uh, um I'm really just tired." He mumbled.

"I'm sure you and Jenna need some alone time, so we're just going to hang out." Bonnie offered.

"Oh." Alaric smirked slightly.

"Damn Bonnie, go get yourself some." Caroline laughed.

"That's our cue." Bonnie said dragging Jeremy out ignoring the hooting and laughing.

* * *

Bonnie and Jeremy raced up the stairs as soon as they got to his house managing to successfully avoid Jenna who was busy in the kitchen on the phone.

"Alone at last," He smiled pulling her towards him for a kiss. She allowed herself to melt into it closing her eyes. Her heart fluttered madly as his hands started traveling her body and he intensified the kiss. Elena still didn't know she had started dating her brother and Bonnie originally tried to put it off and get her okay first, but never knowing when or if Elena would come home and the heightened danger pretty much made it impossible to resist. She wasn't about to die or let Jeremy die in all this but there was always that what if…and Bonnie had been lonely for far too long to risk that now.

Jeremy started walking backwards towards the bed kissing her she bumped right into the bed frame making a loud noise.

"Jeremy is that you are you home?" Jenna called from the top of the stairs.

Jeremy groaned and Bonnie blushed pulling away and sitting on his bed straightening up her shirt and hair as best as she could.

"Yeah I'm home." He muttered looking just as irritated and flushed as she was feeling.

"Is Elena home yet?" Jenna asked.

"She went over to Stefan's after the dance." Jeremy called back.

"I see is she planning on coming home tonight or tomorrow morning?" Jenna asked.

"Don't worry Jenna she's not taking off again." Jeremy sighed. "I don't know and I didn't ask her if she was crashing at her boyfriend's house, that's just uh gross."

Bonnie stifled a laugh when he looked at her with a 'was that good' expression on his face. She just nodded and smiled at him. He had no idea how cute he could be without even trying.

"Fair enough," Jenna sighed the doorbell rang then and she left.

"Saved by the history teacher, Bonnie mumbled as Jeremy leaped in the bed next to her. He pulled them both down on the bed and smiled lustfully at her.

"Now where were we?" She grinned wrapping her arms around his neck and capturing his lips with her own.

Bonnie woke up with a start at half past two in the morning. She glanced at her phone worried maybe her mom didn't get her message about staying at Caroline's but she had no missed calls. Jeremy was sleeping peacefully beside her a soft smile on his relaxed face. She got up slowly and crept into Elena's bedroom. Katherine was no nowhere to be found. Bonnie grabbed some jeans from Elena well Katherine and a sweatshirt before slowly and carefully climbing down the window. They used to sneak out like this all the time a few years ago or back in the fun days as Caroline dubs them. But somehow the task wasn't as easy now as it was then. She made far too much noise but luckily no one in the house woke up.

She started running down the street towards town she had no idea where she was going or why just that she had to get there and soon. The anxious feeling in her chest intensified slightly as she got closer to town. She could see the Grill up ahead the bar had just closed a little over a half hour ago but something told Bonnie she needed to be here.

"Wrong town, wrong guy," She heard a man's voice distantly.

_It's coming from the alley near the bar_, She thought creeping into the alley.

"A little vervain doesn't hurt me." She heard Katherine and then a shot rang out and Bonnie started running. Katherine was crouched down on the alley an angry look plastered on her face as she glared up at the man she had just attempted to feed from. He was one of Liz's right hand men. One of the stronger ones she had at that.

Katherine got up and lunged for him but he was ready for her Bonnie jumped back when a flame singed Katherine she yelped and jumped back. He was holding a small flame torcher of some kind and aiming it at her but Katherine was quick and kept escaping the flames.

"Playing with fire?" She hissed her fangs prominent. "Bad move."

"Tell me who turned you Elena." The man said in a commanding voice.

"Stop." Bonnie said walking into the alley.

"Not you to." He looked at her suspiciously.

"No I'm not a vampire." Bonnie said walking up to him she put her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes, chanting a soft hypnotizing spell in her head. He put the torcher down and his eyes started to glaze over. "You are relaxed. You have nothing to be afraid of. I will not harm you. I need you to sleep and just focus on my voice."

His eyes snapped closed and she focused.

"You didn't see a vampire here tonight, you had a few drinks over did it a little and walked home. You got in a little scuffle on the way trying to help a woman who was being harassed. That's all that happened tonight when I tell you to wake up. You will remember only that and then leave. Do you understand?" Bonnie said softly.

The man nodded.

"Wake up." Bonnie commanded.

"You can't compel…" Katherine started but stopped and her mouth dropped wide open when the man opened his blank eyes.

"I over did it tonight so I decided to walk home." He said slowly. "I helped that poor woman and got a little hurt in the scuffle. But I'm fine. Just tired."

"Go on now." Bonnie commanded.

He nodded briefly and then walked away slowly.

"How did you?" Katherine looked bewildered.

"What were you thinking? What if someone saw _Elena_ attacking someone. One of Klaus's goons even? Be smarter than this Katherine." Bonnie snapped angrily.

"How did you do that? Why are you here Bennett?" Katherine asked staring at her oddly.

"I have no idea." Bonnie muttered. "I don't even know why I came here I was just drawn here."

"Your stronger then any of them, Emily, Lucy even Elizabeth." Katherine mumbled.

"Who's Elizabeth?" Bonnie asked.

"My witch," Katherine said bitterly. "She never got the chance to come into her full powers. Elijah killed her."

"What?" Bonnie's eyes widened. "What do you mean _your_ witch? I thought your witch was Emily?"

"Never mind," Katherine said. "Thanks for the assist but I could have handled it."

"Killing him is not handling it." Bonnie snapped.

"I'm going to need to start leaving town to feed. Too many council members here." Katherine rolled her eyes, "How annoying."

"Can't you just use blood bags like Caroline does?" Bonnie sighed.

"Not every day….It's like drinking flat soda." Katherine whined.

"I can't even believe we're having this conversation right now, I can't believe I helped you.. why would I help you?" Bonnie shook her head.

"You were drawn to me?" Katherine asked.

"Yes do you know why?"

"Maybe." Katherine smirked. "What's it to you?"

"Don't play games right now. I'm not in the mood. Katherine please just tell me what I need to know, I know I'm missing something." Bonnie found herself actually pleading with the viscous vampire pride put aside she needed to know what was going on with her.

"I'm not really sure why you would help me. I mean all Bennett witches have to help the doppelgangers whether they want to or not. That was as predetermined as myself and Elena were." Katharine explained.

"But you are special as was Elizabeth. You are linked to Elena, meant to protect her at any cost no matter what. Just as Elizabeth would have been for me." Katherine said. "What I don't get is why you helped me. I assumed your link with Elena would supersede that natural Bennett instinct to protect me."

"What about Lucy? She turned on you." Bonnie pointed out.

"I forced her to hurt the other doppelganger so the lines got kind of muddy, plus you were there that was probably the first time you ever really felt that pull to protect Elena right?" Katherine guessed.

"So why did I feel drawn to you tonight? I didn't even know it was you." Bonnie mumbled. "I just had to go."

"I don't know." Katherine stood up straighter and looked around. "That human didn't really have me in any lasting danger though… I've never had one of you show up to 'save' me from someone I can beat."

"So you think you're in some other kind of danger?" Bonnie guessed scanning the area herself but the anxious feeling was gone and now. She was just confused and by the looks of things Katherine was too.

"No one's around." Katherine confirmed.

"Maybe I was supposed to _stop you_ from killing him." Bonnie finally said.

"I know...I know your all high and mighty witch extraordinaire and everything, but you're not so good you just _know_ whenever a human is getting attacked." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"I stopped you from killing him for your sake more than his." Bonnie suddenly blurted the words out before she could really comprehend what they meant or why she said them.

"What? Why?" Katherine asked her eyes wide.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure why I said that." Bonnie said feeling more frustrated than ever.

"Maybe since Elena's not here, you're just naturally connecting to me." Katherine said thoughtfully. "It's through your link to her that you get stronger, I thought you were going to get weaker without her here but you're not. You compelled a human."

"No I hypnotized him." Bonnie said walking out of the alley Katherine followed and they started toward the Gilbert house together.

"Same thing," Katherine quipped.

"No it's not," Bonnie defended.

"Uh yes it is." Katherine said giving her a look. "Actually some of the older vamps call compelling hypnotizing or influencing. It's all the same damn thing Bonnie, mind control."

"Huh." Bonnie said sounding stunned.

"Is that the sound you make when you know you're wrong?" Katherine asked.

"No I'm just surprised." Bonnie smiled slightly.

"Oh the drama," Katherine sighed. "Please elaborate."

"You just called me Bonnie." She said glancing at Katherine smiling a little wider.

Katherine stilled for a second looking strange she then shook her head and flashed off towards the woods. Bonnie assumed back to the boarding house. She stood outside for a minute staring at the empty space Katherine had just occupied. Bonnie suddenly wondered if she was linked not just to one but _both_ of the doppelgangers and when it came to Katherine, just what _was _her mission anyway?

"You need to bring her back you need them both. "

Bonnie whirled around looking for the source of the voice a chill going up her spine.

"Bonnie what are you doing out here talking to yourself?" Jeremy surprised her and she jumped.

"How long were you out here?"

"I was looking for you I saw you talking to Katherine and then you were taking to yourself are you okay?" He asked peering at her face.

"You didn't see anyone else?" Bonnie asked.

"No just you, you said something about bringing someone back. What were you talking about?" he asked.

Bonnie's eyes widened and she just shook her head and started inside. She wanted to put this confusing night far out of her mind for at least a few hours.

* * *

Katherine flew through the woods as fast as she could. Her mind was running through the why's as much as Bonnie's was. Bonnie by all rights should be focused on Elena and Elena only. It was amazing she hadn't raced off to find her much like she did with Katherine tonight.

So did this mean Elena's witch was linked to her too?

_This could bode well for me_, Katherine thought with a wry smile, if Bonnie was linked to her she would be forced to do what Katherine wanted like it or not. But why was Bonnie affecting her?

_She's not_. She tried to tell herself.

_Bull_, she thought, _you could have killed that guy anyway to prove a point. But you didn't instead you tell your biggest threat the truth about herself, and if that's not enough you top it off by walking her home and calling her by name. _

_I just need her alive for now_, she told herself trying to convince herself it was true. Katherine didn't have friends, she had associates. She didn't waste time caring about people; it made you weak and pathetic. She was suddenly hit with an urge to kill to prove something somehow… she didn't even realize she had lunged at something until the blood hit her mouth. The taste was terrible and she hurled the deer away in disgust.

"How does he _do that _every day?" She sighed. Wondering what in the world made her jump the animal instead of heading back into town or hurrying to the boarding house freezer. She tried not to think about the answer to that but she knew what it was. What if Bonnie was on to something, and she was supposed to stop Katherine from killing. Katherine wasn't too fond of the idea of Bonnie crashing all her feeding parties until Elena got back. That would put a serious cramp in her plans. She wasn't ready to find out yet.

It was strange being 'Elena' being around people again. People that were getting to her, getting under her skin, the last time she let that happen…she sighed to herself. She tried to imagine building a life here like Stefan had. In some ways she envied him for it at least he never had to be lonely. But the very idea of nesting…it just didn't suit her. Maybe once upon a time when she was human she could have had a home, built roots, raised her child but that was ripped away from her and decades had passed since then.

Katherine had perfected a lifestyle of getting exactly what she wanted by whatever means necessary and she enjoyed the power she relished in it. She was five hundred years old and strong, crafty, manipulative and cunning. She didn't get that way on accident she got it from years of fighting, hiding and running, years of keeping herself alive. She simply didn't have time to stop and care…that is until 1864 when she met Stefan and did the one thing she said she would never do.

She fell in love it tormented her for years. And it still was worse now. Back then she could pretend a reunion was waiting for her at the end of all of this. She was wrong and that hurt more than anything ever had. He didn't even realize how bad he twisted the knife through her heart when he told her hated her. Every time he told her he never loved her. She rubbed it in about Elena simply to bring him a fraction of the pain he was causing her.

He was different today though, he was looking at her differently, she wanted to tell herself it was the kiss he had given in that was certain. But she knew it was because she told the truth about the dagger. So maybe now was the time to tell him the truth about Elijah or at least what she had theorized Elijah was up to. Gaining Stefan's trust again could change everything.

She almost felt exhilarated as the decision came to a full head and she raced towards the boarding house. As she ran her mind was running over scenarios of her telling Stefan and Stefan thanking her, then embracing her, she could kiss him again only this time he wouldn't hate himself for kissing her back…

She walked in slowly she heard a TV in in the parlor and realized Stefan must have brought down Damon's TV. She crept into the parlor and stopped cold, Stefan and Caroline were both asleep on the couch she had her head on his shoulder and he looked relaxed and was smiling slightly.

Katherine stood there mutely for a moment before sulking up the stairs. She slammed the door to the guestroom behind her.

'"Fuck them they can all die by Elijah's hand for all I care." She muttered angrily.

She paced the room her pleasant visuals of her and Stefan finally reuniting replaced with images of him cuddling the little hussy right down stairs with her kiss still on his lips. She managed to repress the scream that was urging to come out. Her fangs were protruding and every part of her wanted to flash down the stairs and rip the little blond limb from limb. But she knew that would cost her Stefan forever so instead she slipped out the window and hurried out to the road.

Bonnie could come and try and save her all she wanted. Katherine was going to take this anger out on someone tonight. With that thought in mind she started racing down the road searching for someone to kill.

* * *

_**Don't worry Delena will be in the next chapter, Bonnie and Kat took this one over. __I hope you liked it. Please review! _


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 **

* * *

**WI**

Elena was sound asleep as Damon and Ben started rummaging through some of his spell books.

"Here it is." Ben said scanning a page to memory.

"The spell to deactivate his ring?" Damon asked.

"I can do this easily." Ben nodded.

"How are we going to get him out in the sun?" Damon asked.

"I don't know, yet...maybe Elena arranges a meeting with him outdoors in public, and we do it then?" Ben suggested.

"I'm not using her as bait!" Damon snapped.

"He won't hurt her he needs her for the sacrifice." Ben pointed out.

"He'll just take her then, no way." Damon folded his arms across his chest.

"What if I can put some kind if barrier spell around her?" Ben suggested. "She could actually be the one to inject him with our secret weapon and I do the spell, bam done."

"To easy man." Damon shook his head. "He's the oldest vampire of all time. It isn't going to go smoothly and my girlfriend is not going to sit in the middle of it."

"Damon she's the doppelganger she's already in the middle of this." Ben reminded him.

Elena started tossing in her sleep breathing heavily shaking her head back and forth.

"Elena?" Damon moved towards her but his voice didn't pull her out of her nightmare.

"Bonnie…wake up." Elena rasped.

"What?" Damon looked at Ben who shrugged staring curiously at Elena.

"Help…help." Elena rasped again turning over as sweat forming on her forehead. "Bonnie Wake up!"

"Shh, Elena." Damon started reaching for her.

"No don't wake her." Ben pulled Damon away. "Whatever this is is important."

"Go faster Bonnie, its already happening, go faster bonnie. Fast, faster Bonnie…" Elena chanted in her sleep.

Elena stopped talking and seemed to slip deeper into her dream Damon was standing rigid watching her, he didn't want to see her in any kind of pain and watching her have a nightmare and not waking her up from it was nearly impossible.

Elena sat up suddenly tears streaming down her flushed cheeks she clenched her heart and bit her lip taking heady breaths,

"Elena?" Damon sat next to her and gingerly turned her face to look at him.

"What just happened?" Elena asked

"You had some kind of nightmare you were calling for Bonnie." Damon said softly. "Do you remember any of it?"

"No." She shook her head. "No I don't remember anything."

"You seemed quite agitated." Ben prompted her. ""Have you been having nightmares?"

"No I never have nightmares here with Damon." She said her eyes flashing towards his accusingly for a moment.

"I can assure you I haven't done anything." Ben said holding his hands up.

"It was all your talk about Bonnie being connected to her, it messed with her mind." Damon huffed. "I don't want you upsetting my girlfriend."

"It's okay Damon it's not his fault." Elena sighed.

"No it's not in fact I don't think you were dreaming at all." Ben murmured.

"Huh?" Damon gave him an annoyed look.

"You were calling to her you were using your connection to her to draw her somewhere." Ben murmured. "But if you weren't drawing her to you then…I just don't get it."

Elena shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"We need to find Klaus and kill him Damon we have to get back home I have a bad feeling." Elena said her big brown eyes full or worry and despair.

"Are you okay princess?" Damon asked.

"I feel, strange." Elena said. "Like...I feel really sad like my heart just got broken or something and I also feel really guilty and angry." She got up and started pacing the room her emotions started hitting Damon as quickly as they seemed to whipping through her and he frowned looking at Ben.

"What's happening to her are you doing this?" He had Ben against the wall by the throat but Ben squirmed away easily.

"No I'm not, I swear." He said his eyes wide. "But I can calm her down."

"No leave my emotions alone." Elena said. "I'll calm myself down the human way."

She picked up a bottle of wine of the table and took a long draw straight from the bottle gulping hard and slamming the bottle down.

"That's my girl." Damon snickered watching her with an amused expression.

"It seems to be gone now." She said quietly

"What seems to be gone?" Ben asked.

"Whatever that was, what I was feeling… they were not my feelings, but it didn't feel the same as when I feel you Damon. This _felt _like me but I knew I wasn't feeling these things...I don't know how to explain this." She said slowly looking more confused as she talked.

"Could she have been feeling what Bonnie was feeling?" Damon asked carefully, if Elena thought her best friend was in trouble this whole plan was going to get tricky fast. She wouldn't stay here for a second if she thought Bonnie needed her.

"No their link isn't like that. Bonnie could sense Elena being in danger and Elena as you just saw can call Bonnie to her but they can't share each other's feelings. I've studied this for years and never came across that." Ben mumbled.

"But Katherine turned so you don't know how strong her bond could have gotten with her witch." Elena pointed out.

"Bonnie couldn't have been the one in danger because you were begging _her_ to help." Damon said in an assuring tone.

"Help who?" Elena's eyes narrowed. "Who was I trying to help?"

"Elena I think you know the answer." Ben said his eyes wide with realization.

"No, no it can't be…" Elena murmured.

"What?" Damon raised an eyebrow. "You don't think it was…"

"Katherine." Ben confirmed. "It would make sense that you would share a connection with her, you're both doppelgangers of Charlotte."

"I don't understand I never… that never happened before." Elena stammered. "Once because of a spell, but we are two different people. I cannot nor do I _want_ to feel what she's feeling."

"Well I think you did." Ben said.

"No way," Damon shook his head his face full of disbelief. "She wouldn't call Bonnie to help Katherine."

"Besides Katherine's in the tomb," Elena said.

"Unless some idiot let her out," Damon muttered.

"Bonnie would never let Katherine out of the tomb, she wouldn't and they don't know any other witches." Elena said.

"What if you just called Bonnie _to_ let her out of the tomb?" Ben asked.

"That would be a disaster." Elena said her eyes wide. "We have to find out what's happening Damon."

"Right now we need to find Klaus and kill him. That's priority number one we'll go back home right after that." Damon promised.

"What if we just call them." She suggested.

"Remember what I told you when we left? If we do this we do it my way you disappear without a trace, the plan isn't changing Elena. You call home and everything we're planning could go right to hell." Damon said.

"We could call Rose." Elena suggested. "She won't tell anyone."

"No." Damon said firmly. "We kill Klaus first."

"Damon please," Elena begged. "I need to know what's going on."

"And if it's bad you will want to go back, we can't go back Elena. The people you love are at home and Klaus will use them against you. He can't do that if we take the upper hand." Damon reminded her. "That's why we're here remember?"

"I know I know but I need to know if Bonnie's okay." Elena said her big brown eyes filling up with tears.

Damon grimaced and sighed heavily he couldn't handle her tears and he hated denying her anything, but he was firm with her when they left, and he wasn't willing to compromise her safety for anyone else's.

"Damon is right." Ben told her. "We cannot bring Klaus to your home town; he will use everything he can as leverage against you there. What we need to do is set up a meeting we have to isolate him so we can weaken him and preform the spell."

"Ben." Damon said in a warning tone.

"I'll do it, he will meet with me." Elena said nodding. "We do it in daylight he needs the full moon for the ritual so we know he won't kill me, and then you can do your spell."

"You are not going anywhere near Klaus." Damon said.

"First things first we have to find him." Ben murmured typing into the computer.

"Then I meet with him." Damon said his face full of rage. "I'll show him what happens when you try to use my girl as a sacrifice."

"No Damon." Elena said her eyes wide. "He'll kill you; you're the only leverage he has against me now. I'm not going to hand it to him on a silver platter."

"I don't think he will be willing to meet you alone." Ben murmured. "He'll have other vampires with him possibly even witches… we're going to need to dupe him somehow."

"We tell him I'm willing to do it." Elena said. "We make a 'deal' with him, and one of the provisions is that he meets with me alone before the sacrifice during the day."

"He would have to be pretty stupid to go for that." Damon laughed earning a smack and glare from Elena.

"Duping him into thinking she's willing to do the sacrifice, could be the key to getting him alone." Ben murmured.

"It will never work, He's going to know she's blood bonded the second he gets near her." Damon said.

"That would send him into a rage." Elena said her eyes wide with horror.

"That's how you convince him you're willing to do it. The Petrova must be human when she's sacrificed it doesn't state anywhere that the doppelganger can't die with vampire blood in her system." Ben said. "It would still be a sacrifice and you would still die."

"It would be pretty easy to convince him I'm willing to end the curse as long as I can turn her." Damon said.

"He would be the most vulnerable during the ritual. Unfortunately our plan to burn him won't work at night." Ben murmured. "If only we had the dagger."

"Wait, what about…can you guys go tanning?" Elena asked.

"What?" Damon asked looking confused.

"I doubt it." Ben said, "Why?"

"I'm just wondering if sun lamps would hurt you the same as the actual sun would." Elena pondered.

"Huh." Damon said looking hopeful. "I would guess they would it's UV rays right?"

"Only one way to find out," Ben said standing up.

"You're going to go tanning?" Elena asked her eyes wide.

"No, I'm just going to buy some sunlamps." Ben laughed. "I'll be back soon."

"If this works we could completely blind slide him." Damon said his eyes glittering.

"I know I'm awesome." Elena smirked at him.

* * *

**VA**

"Get up." Bonnie was leaning over Katherine who was laying in the woods crumpled into a ball.

Katherine's body started to shake and tremble.

"Are you sobbing?" Bonnie kneeled down next to her a bewildered and shocked look on her face.

"I…stop." Bonnie patted the side of hair awkwardly.

"Don't try to comfort me you stupid witch." Katherine muttered. "After what I just did, you hate me you wish you could light me on fire right now, you hate having to work with me."

"I hate you for a lot of reasons, mostly because you're just such a bitch all the time, but I don't hate you for what you just did."

"What?" Katherine looked up and there was dried blood all over her face and hair. Her eyes were red and bloodshot she was openly crying tears falling down her face rapidly and seemingly without any shame.

"Something happened, between when I saw you earlier and that…what happened?" Bonnie asked.

"I don't want to do this." Katherine said.

"Do what?" Bonnie asked. "Be real? No one does anything without a reason, something made you snap, so you need to deal with that another way preferably."

"You were too late. You couldn't stop me and you can't help me now. Your _500 years_ too late for that, I am what I am." Katherine got up and started walking away.

"You feel terrible." Bonnie said bravely. "You didn't mean for it to go that far tonight did you?"

"You don't know a damn thing!" Katherine imploded.

"Why did you tell me about the link? About what I am?" Bonnie asked.

"I don't know." Katherine snapped turning away again.

"I think I do." Bonnie said gently putting her arm on her shoulder. "I don't know how or why we're connected, but I know I saw something in you tonight Katherine…it freaked you out didn't it? Feeling human emotions again? You snapped?"

"I left Stefan to protect him." Katherine said. "I loved him and Klaus or Elijah would have used him against me in a second. It was better for him to think I was dead. Maybe someday we could be together again, at least that's what I hoped but I was wrong. I was so wrong, someone else is always better than me, Lexie, Elena, _Caroline_…he wants an angel and I'm the devil."

"I don't know Lexi but Elena and Caroline are my best friends. I love them both dearly but neither of them are angels." Bonnie said.

"They're better than me." Katherine muttered.

"Because you let them be." Bonnie said. "You have it in you; you just refuse to let it out."

"I was going to tonight, it was time to open up to Stefan, to tell him some things…but she was there all over him." Katherine said her eyes looked more pained then Bonnie had ever seen anyone look before.

"Caroline was?" Bonnie gasped. "I can't believe she would...I mean Elena just broke up with him..."

"Well she left him for his brother that probably nullifies any girl code in this siltation." Katherine pointed out.

"Still…I thought she was still hung up on Matt." Bonnie said. "See she's not an angel and neither is Elena."

"It doesn't matter…the point is he doesn't want me, and he hates me too much to see that he still loves me." Katherine said a defeated look flashed across her face and then she flashed away.

Bonnie stood there numbly for a long moment until she heard the sirens of the fire trucks and ambulances from the distant. She dropped to her knees and started sobbing.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

**VA**

Caroline woke up with the sun shining in her eyes her neck was cranked and her head was mashed against something hard. She managed to disengage herself from it and sat up rubbing her eyes. Her mouth dropped open when she looked at who she had been all tangled up with. She remembered watching a movie with Stefan. She didn't remember falling asleep…_on_ him?

"Caroline?" Stefan sat up rubbing his head a sheepish expression on his face.

"I don't remember falling asleep." She laughed awkwardly glancing at the door, maybe she could flash out of here and pretend this whole thing never happened?

"No big deal is was just sleep right? Not like we did anything." His voice got low.

"Right." She would be five shades of red if she was still human.

"The best friend." Katherine said dramatically coming down the stairs. She was dressed just like Elena in a blue fitted shirt and some dark jeans. Her hair straitened and down. She looked exactly like Elena. She was supposed to but still it seemed to mock Caroline even more. She felt so guilty.

"Wow Stefan, when you get revenge you _get_ it." Katherine smirked.

"We just fell asleep Katherine." Stefan said, "Nothing happened."

Katherine raised her eyebrows at him then walked over to the bar and started fixing herself a drink.

"That doesn't mean she doesn't want something to happen. You really want to go there Stefan haven't you had enough teenage drama for one century?" Katherine asked.

"Excuse me, nothing happened but even if it was it would none of your business." Caroline said standing up just irritated at this point.

"Everything Stefan does is my business." Katherine said a strange edge in her eyes that frightened Caroline a little. It reminded her of Katherine acted when Caroline first turned and Katherine was using her against Stefan and Elena.

"Are you kidding me?" Caroline shot back refusing to let this woman intimidate her any more. "You left him, you don't get a say in his life now."

"It doesn't mean I don't still love him. I will never stop." Katherine said staring at Stefan who had been pretty quiet.

"Caroline if you don't mind. I'd like to talk to Katherine alone." Stefan said glancing at her awkwardly avoiding direct eye contact. Carline hated the stab of pain that caused; he didn't really just reject her for Katherine did he? After she stood up for him like she always does. She couldn't let Katherine manipulate Stefan again. Regardless of whatever these confusing feelings were. As his friend she figured she owed him that much.

"No Stefan, she's trying to manipulate you and I'm not leaving you alone with her." Caroline said.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Katherine scoffed. "Stefan if you don't nip this in the butt now it's going to get messy and fast."

Stefan looked at her with a pained expression on his face.

"Nice to see you are all focused." Elijah interrupted them and they all stiffened in his presence.

"Elijah." Stefan addressed him. "Why are you here?"

"I have everything I need now and the full moon is two days away." He said as if they were planning some simple everyday event.

"So it's time to set him up." Katherine her eyes lit up a bit in almost wonder. Caroline felt empathic for a moment imagining having to run for that long, her empathy turned to annoyance though when Stefan shot her a sympathetic look. Caroline groaned inside what was happening here?

"Word will be spread to him today and we can expect him to show up for the ritual." Elijah nodded.

"So should we all meet and plan this out?" Caroline said forgetting her drama for a moment the adrenaline pumping through her veins, she couldn't wait for this.

"Just be here." He handed Stefan a map, "Before dusk on Friday."

Elijah was gone as fast as he appeared and the three of them stood their lost in their thoughts. Caroline was excited more then she should be. Stefan would warn her about being overconfident, but she felt like this was her chance to show them all how worthy she was. She figured Stefan was probably trying to figure out how to protect everyone in this. Katherine seemed strange almost worried.

"I don't think we can trust him." She said in a quiet voice. "Something is off."

"What choice do we have now?" Stefan asked. "Klaus is coming here, we work with Elijah and watch our backs or go against him and then we have two originals as enemies."

Bonnie and Jeremy walked in interrupting them with Alaric in tow.

"Elijah was just here..." Caroline started to inform them.

"Not now, we have to go to the church a memorial is being held." Alaric said his face stiff.

"What happened?" Stefan asked.

"A bunch of teenagers were killed in a house fire last night." Jeremy sighed. "At least eight I think."

"Oh my god," Caroline gasped. "A house fire?"

"What if it's a cover up? If Klaus is already here…" Alaric trailed off looking worried.

"He's not here yet." Katherine said and Bonnie threw a sharp glance at her. The two of them exchanged a glance that didn't go unnoticed by Caroline or Stefan who looked really curious.

"How do you know?" Jeremy asked.

"Elijah just told us he's letting the word get to Klaus about the ritual today." Katherine said. "He wouldn't show up here before he needs to."

"He's planning the ritual in two days at the full moon." Stefan informed them.

"So soon," Bonnie mumbled.

"You can handle it." Katherine nodded at her surprising everyone.

"We have no plan though." Caroline said.

"Right now we need to so support our classmates, then we come back here and plan." Stefan took charge and started ushering everyone out the door.

Stefan rolled his eyes seeing Katherine already sitting in his front seat when he got outside. Caroline started to follow him and he sighed.

"Caroline I need to talk to her alone. Thank you for trying to watch my back but I can handle myself around her." He said gently.

"I can see the way she gets to you." Caroline argued.

"We really don't have time for this right now." Stefan sighed. "Can you ride with Ric?"

"Yeah fine," She mumbled looking hurt.

"Look; the fight of our lives is coming and I need to talk to her about that she's our best bet here she's the oldest and knows Klaus. This works better if we get along." Stefan said his eyes pleading.

"It has nothing to do with you having feelings for her?" Caroline asked bluntly.

"I don't want to get in to that right now Caroline." Stefan sighed.

"Okay, but can we talk later?" She asked.

"I don't think we should talk about Katherine." He said slowly.

"What?" She asked looking offended. "I poured my heart out to you about Matt several times, and you talked to me about Elena after she left…"

"I know but Caroline you hate Katherine. It's not something we can talk about without conflict. "He said slowly.

"Whatever Stefan," Caroline muttered spinning on her heel.

He pinched the bridge of his nose watching her leave before he turned to look at Katherine who was watching them looking smug.

_How the hell did I manage to get in to this?_ He wondered shaking his head.

Stefan sighed when he got in and started the car.

"She's such a twit." Katherine snapped.

"Stop," He rolled his eyes. "Jealously isn't a nice color on you."

"Liar I look good in every color." She batted her eyelashes as he started the car.

"I like your car it's sexy." She put her hand on his knee.

"Katherine stop, we're not going there."

"You want me, you still love me you basically just admitted that to Caroline." She pouted.

"I did not." He groaned.

"Yes you did. You picked me and told her to ride with someone else."

"I want to ask you what you did." He said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" She asked looking out the window.

"You and Bonnie exchanged a strange glance when Alaric mentioned the teenagers. You knew it wasn't Klaus right away, your skin is _glowing_ and you didn't get yourself any blood his morning." Stefan said.

"You've been watching me just as closely as I _knew_ you were." She smirked looking smug.

"Katherine?" He glanced at her.

"I lost control." She admitted looking down at her hands. "I had this weird moment with Bonnie and everything came rushing back all the emotions, how bad it hurt to leave you all those years ago. Stefan; Klaus and Elijah were after me and they killed everyone I ever loved in my life to get to me. I couldn't let that happen to you!" She imploded her eyes filling up with tears.

"You…you left to protect me?" He whispered.

"Everything I did was to protect you." She confirmed her expression sincere.

"Why did you turn me?" He asked.

"I gave you my blood, I didn't turn you." She replied.

"But you knew I would die to protect you." He said.

"Yes I did and I made sure I could see you again." She said biting her lip.

"And Damon?" He asked taking a breath.

"Was a distraction at first, I never meant to fall in love with you. The plan was to draw attention to myself and then _die_ quite publicly so Klaus and Elijah would give up. But I _did_ fall in love with you and when I did...I knew I had to see you again so I gave you my blood because I was afraid you would die trying to save me and I was right, I gave Damon blood because you needed your brother." She said softly.

"You turned Damon so I wouldn't be alone?" He questioned surprised, touched and angry on his brothers behalf all at the same time.

"Yeah." She shrugged.

"When you say you came back here for me…" He started.

"I did." She said her eyes wide and sincere. "I knew word was spreading about me not being in the tomb, and word about Elena would follow. Klaus would come for her and you would die to protect her. I couldn't let that happen to you."

"So you were going to just turn her over to save yourself and me?" Stefan questioned.

"I don't love anyone but you Stefan. If that was the only way to keep you alive, then yes that's exactly what I would have done. My plans weren't decided yet when I got here and finding you so in love with her really pissed me off." She admitted.

"You were going to tell me all this last night weren't you?' he asked his voice soft.

She just nodded in reply.

"But you saw me with Caroline?" His eyebrows furrowed. "I made you snap last night; you did all this for me and I've been cruel to you."

"You had good reason to hate me." Katherine admitted. "I should have just been honest with you."

"I never would have left your side, no matter who was after you." He said.

"That's why I left." She said stroking his cheek. "Klaus would have killed you just to torture me."

"We're here." He took a breath pulling into the church parking lot. "Can you handle this?"

"No." She said. "I don't go to my victim's funerals this is going to make me feel like shit."

"Good." He said.

"What?" She looked surprised after the tender moment they had just had.

"You need to feel like shit it's what reminds you of the human you still are inside." He said stroking her cheek and gazing at her for a moment before getting out of the car.

* * *

**WI**

"I don't understand why I can't just come with you." Elena said again as Ben worked on preparing for the shield spell Elena insisted he put on Damon. They had found the same contact Slater had for Ellijah through some digging on the computer through him they had managed to get in touch with an associate of Klaus's and set up a meeting. The sunlamps were a success, and they were finalizing a plan.

Elena had made it clear that if Damon doesn't return from the meeting she will end her life and they won't have a doppelganger. Damon hoped to make this quick and get a gauge oif the type of people that worked for Klaus. He seemed pretty amped up to get on with this whole thing going and Elena was just wracked with worry.

"Ready?" Ben asked standing up.

"This is bad ass." Damon smirked holding his hands out and closing his eyes.

"It's a shield Damon. You still need to be careful. Klaus could send an original to meet you." Elena reminded him.

"You worry too much." He waved her off. "This makes me un-stakable. I can't wait to provoke Stefan."

"Damon." Elena sighed.

"This shield only protects your heart." Ben laughed, "Careful cowboy."

"Just do it already." Damon said.

Ben nodded and started chanting while he held his hands over Damon's chest.

"Done." he said.

"That was fast." Damon looked down at his chest. "How do I know if it worked?"

"Try and stake yourself?" Ben suggested.

"No!" Elena exclaimed.

"Well not with a wooden stake." Ben laughed. "Use a fork or something."

"A fork? You want me to try and stab myself in the heart with a fork?" Damon asked.

"If you can't just trust my skills," The warlock grinned.

"Here goes nothing." He picked up a fork and Elena turned closing her eyes.

"It worked!" He said hitting an invisible force the second he tried to pierce his skin.

Elena turned and smiled a look of relief in her eyes.

"Come here sweetheart." He said nodding at Ben to make himself scarce.

"I don't want to stay here without you." She frowned.

"I'll be back in a few hours and Ben will be here." He said brushing her hair back.

"He should go with you in case you need him. What if Klaus's men take you to draw me out or something." She said her eyes filling up with worry.

"Stop worrying. He wasn't expecting you to contact him we have the upper hand here." He said kissing her softly.

"Just please come back soon and in one piece." She said throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.

"Watch her, she's very sneaky." Damon warned Ben when he got upstairs.

"I figured she'd try a jail break." Ben agreed with a chuckle.

"Be careful Damon." Ben called after him as he walked out of the house.

* * *

Damon sat in the small restaurant only a few short hours from where Elena was which worried him. If they followed him back his safe place for her would be comprised. Now that the reality of what they had to do had settled in Elena's staying alive quickly became the number one priority again. It was time to eliminate this dark cloud named Klaus once and for all so he could just focus on loving her.

A man walked in and sat across from him. Damon instantly felt his power it was strong this guy was an original. He had dirty blond curly hair and an old look about him much like Elijah. His eyes pierced into Damon's.

"Damon Salvatore I presume?" The man asked.

"The one and only." Damon smirked.

"Lose the cocky attitude it annoys me." The man said.

"Klaus?" Damon gulped.

"I wouldn't trust anyone else to handle this." He smiled and his eyes darkened with a warning that Damon heard loud and clear. No one was going to prevent him from breaking the curse this time.

"Now where is she?" Klaus asked.

"Safe." Damon said. "Isn't that what matters right now?"

"And pumped full of your blood no doubt," Klaus said.

"That is why we agreed to meet with you; we believe the curse can be broken with my blood in her system. She will still die in all purposes and you would get what you want." Damon proposed.

"What if it doesn't work?" Klaus asked. "I would have turned a perfectly good doppelganger for nothing. Five hundred years I've waited."

Damon wasn't expecting to face Klaus so soon he couldn't let his complete disregard for Elena as a person bother him, if he started getting angry he had no chance to strike the deal. If they couldn't get Klaus to meet them on their terms their plan to kill him would go up in smoke quickly and they wouldn't have a chance even with Ben's powers. He put his walls up quickly feeling somewhat safer with the protection spells Ben had put on him.

"I see no reason why it wouldn't work." Damon said keeping his face cool and impassive. "She still dies."

"What else can you offer me?" Klaus asked.

"If you work with us I can hand you Katrina on a silver platter." Damon offered quickly assuming he was still pretty pissed at the original doppelganger for escaping.

Klaus's eyebrows lifted, "There is only one thing left to hurt Katarina with, are you willing to turn over your own brother to me to spare your girlfriend?"

"Yes." Damon said without flinching.

"There is a full moon in two days." Klaus said staring at Damon searching for the truth he imagined but Ben had a spell to block compulsion too. Damon was really enjoying the perks of having the warlock witch on their side.

"So we do the ritual and then I'll bring you to Katherine and Stefan." Damon said.

"I want to talk to the doppelganger myself." Klaus said. "I need to ensure her cooperation."

"You want to ensure it will only be her and I showing up. I'm telling you it is, I don't care about anyone but her, I took her as far away from her home as possible." Damon said.

"I need a werewolf, a witch and the moonstone." Klaus said.

"I can give you the moonstone and the doppelganger." Damon said keeping his face blank and calm. "I'm sure you will have no trouble finding the rest."

"So long as she can turn?" Klaus shook his head looking annoyed but Damon could tell he believed it.

"Love, such a wasted emotion. Look at you your pathetic." Klaus said looking at him distastefully.

"I won't argue with you, but I'll give you want you want, can we make a deal here?" Damon asked

"I will consider it. I need to do some research regarding her turning after being sacrificed. Of course I can always just make sure she bleeds out." Klaus said.

Klaus phone rang and he nodded dismissively at Damon. "I'll be in touch."

Damon left keeping an eye out for any vampires Klaus may have brought with him to follow Damon back to Elena when he was suddenly thrown against the side of the building.

"You thought you could fool me?" he hissed.

"What are you talking about?" Damon winced.

"Do not lie to me!" Klaus screamed.

"I'm not lying." Damon groaned.

"Really? Then why was I just told _Elijah _is planning to do complete the sacrificial ritual in Mystic Falls Virginia on Friday night?"

"What that's impossible Elena is here." Damon struggled against Klaus iron grip on his throat.

"Where is the moonstone then show it to me?" Klaus demanded.

"It's with her."

"Bring me to her."

"No." Damon said thinking this was it and hoping Ben could keep her safe.

Klaus stepped back glaring at him.

"Tell Elena I'm going to her home town and I'm going to slaughter _everyone_ if she doesn't show up at dusk on the full moon for Elijah's little game."

He was gone faster than Damon could blink he stood there numbly holding his throat.

"What the hell did those idiots do?" He finally groaned.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

* * *

**WI**

Elena paced the small underground apartment nervously wringing her hands.

"He should be back by now shouldn't he? How far did he go?" Elena asked again.

"He's fine you would know if he wasn't." Ben reminded her.

"He has his walls up right now, I don't feel anything from him." She groaned. "That's not a comfort."

"Do you want me to calm you?"

"No!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry." He mumbled sheepishly.

"No I am. I just when it comes to Damon I get a little edgy. If anything happens to him…" She trailed off her eyes filling up with tears.

"He will be fine. You made it clear that Klaus loses you if you lose Damon. No one's going to be stupid enough to risk that." He said in a calm voice.

"Damon can handle whatever henchman Klaus throws at him. Klaus's goal will be to find a way to get access to you. Ours is to get him to think we have some kind of deal." Ben said. "Killing isn't on anyone's agenda today."

Elena sat quietly suddenly feeling a surge of anger shoot through her body.

"Damon's pissed." She said her eyes wide.

"What? Can you sense why? I told him to keep a cool head." Ben said looking concerned. "Is he scared or fearful at all?"

"Just pissed, really pissed." Elena said standing up and crossing the room she piled up the pillow on the bed and screamed wailing her fist down on them.

She took a deep breath and sat back down. She laughed at Ben who was staring at her like she had grown two heads.

"His moods are intense especially anger. I have to let it out or I start to hyperventilate." She explained hastily. "Usually Damon can just get me to calm down."

"Blood bonds are incredible." Ben sighed. "I've studied them extensively."

"You've never had one?" Elena asked.

"A guy that isn't supposed to exist doesn't get to fall in love Elena." Ben sighed.

"I'm sorry." She frowned. "That's terrible."

"It's my purpose." He said waving her off.

"Still, if you found a woman who loved you she wouldn't ever tell. You can't give up on love." Elena said.

"I wasn't meant to love. I was meant to ensure a woman's sacrifice was not for nothing. I accepted my purpose a long time go." Ben said.

"But that is so sad." Elena persisted.

"I don't find it sad so you shouldn't either dear." Ben smiled.

"After we defeat Klaus, maybe then you can have a life. You can trust Damon and I and my friends too. You don't have to be alone anymore." Elena said.

"Let's just focus on the task at hand shall we?" He smiled a bit sadly. "I hear Damon above."

Elena breathed a huge sigh of relief she tapped back in to him and could tell he was trying to keep himself calm but he was extremely agitated. She ran into his arms the second the latch opened and he lowered himself down.

"I was so worried about you, what took you so long." She cried into his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He stroked her hair and pushed her back from him kissing her deeply. Ben awkwardly turned away leaning them to their reunion

"Oh Elena, I can't lose you." He hugged her tightly.

"What's wrong Damon?" She asked worry taking over her soft features.

"They screwed everything up; I don't know what to do now. I'm not losing you…we'll just have to hide you longer…somewhere else maybe I don't know."

"Damon what happened?" She breathed.

"It was Klaus." He said.

"That you met with?" Ben said his eyes wide. "I assumed his associate would come."

"Did he hurt you? Oh my god Damon that's why I didn't want you going alone!" Elena exclaimed.

"I'm fine Elena." Damon snapped. "But thanks to our helpful group of do-gooders back home, Klaus backed out on the deal at the last second."

"Wait what?" Ben asked.

"Apparently a sacrifice ritual is being held by Elijah in Mystic Falls Friday night." Damon muttered. "I had Klaus exactly where we wanted him and then he gets a phone call.'

"But how?" Elena shook her head.

"They are setting up a fake ritual to entrap Klaus?" Ben guessed.

"Genius's." Damon spat out.

"How did they expect it to work without me?" Elena asked then paused as realization hit her. "Katherine of course."

"As if he wouldn't take one look at her and know she's not you." Damon rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure they planned it out Damon." Elena defended.

"Why huh? You left with me. I can take care of you. I didn't need their help they had no right to intervene." He said crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Because, despite the fact that I ditched them and left with you they still care!" She exclaimed. "We can't get angry with them for that. They were trying to help."

"Well they _didn't_." He said. "We're screwed now and they are lucky they get to deal with the wrath of Klaus because it would seem gentle compared to what I want to dish out on them."

"We have to go back." Elena said her eyes filled with panic. "I won't let Klaus kill everyone!"

"They brought it on themselves." Damon said his voice cracked just enough for Elena to forget her worry and stare into his eyes; she reached for his emotions beyond the anger and took a step closer to him.

"Damon." Elena said softly touching his cheek. "I know you're scared and I am too, but this…_this_ isn't going to help okay? We will find another way. You aren't going to lose me…or anyone else you care about back home."

"I only care about you." He muttered.

"That's a lie, we need to get back there we can't let Klaus show up and kill everyone." Elena said looking at Ben.

"I'm not bringing you to the man who wants to kill you." Damon said his eyes wet with tears he didn't want to shed. "Not even if it means I lose my brother."

"This doesn't mean all hope is lost." Ben said slowly. "They have a plan to kill Klaus in motion already; we just have to get there before it takes place and fix this."

"How? How do we fix this?" Damon asked his eyes imploring Ben for answers.

"I don't know, but we still have our sunlamps, the syringes, not to mention_ me_ the secret weapon Klaus doesn't know you have." Ben said softly. "If we go back there we find out what they planned out, and we will also have Bonnie and both the doppelgangers together which will weaken Klaus and strengthen Bonnie."

Damon stared at him silently clinging on to Elena desperately.

"We can still win." Elena whispered. "We can't give up now."

* * *

**VA day of the full moon **

Stefan sat on the front porch of Elena's house quietly rocking back and forth. Katherine spent the night at Elena's and Stefan planned on picking her up in the morning. They assumed Klaus was here or had someone here watching by now.

Katherine had been different since attending the funeral quiet and almost pensive. Stefan knew she was waiting for him. She opened up told him the truth and it was his turn now to tell her what he felt. The problem was he didn't know. He was so torn up about everything. It was easier to just focus on Klaus. The five letter word he had come to both hate and appreciate at the same time. Focusing on the task at hand allowed him to distract himself from his feelings.

"Stefan?" Katherine opened the door a crack and stared at him then looked away quickly seeming almost _guilty_? He hoped she didn't feed again. She walked in ahead of him towards the kitchen and he followed she was already dressed and looked so much like Elena was confident this plan would work.

"I thought I was picking you up and we were going to the boarding house?" He said walking in behind her.

"Change of plans Stefan." Katherine said.

"No Katherine, whatever your planning don't. We can't take any unnecessary risks here." Stefan said. "If we do, you realize you're the one that could end up dead?"

She gasped her eyes filled with surprise.

"You're right." She said finally she frowned and stepped closer. "If you do this there is a good chance everyone including _Katherine_ is going to end up dead."

"What? _Elena_?" His eyes widened in horror and shock.

"You could always tell us apart before." She said a hint of accusation in her eyes.

"Bonnie did a spell...it makes her seem human." Stefan explained hastily "It makes her smell like you."

He stopped and crinkled his nose. "Err…"

"That's, weird." She offered.

"Not so much _now_." He sniffed the air and stepped closer anger flashing through his eyes. "Elena...he's _feeding _from you."

"Stefan it's called blood bonding and lets not…you don't want to hear about it and I don't want to tell you about it so let's not go there." Elena sighed.

"Does Katherine know you're here?" He asked instead gulping down the lump in his throat.

"I sent her to the boarding house." Elena nodded. "Hopefully Damon doesn't kill her."

"Why?"

"Well he hates her." She started.

"No I mean why did you send her away?" He smiled slightly despite the tension it seemed Damon was already rubbing off on her. It saddened him but somewhat made it easier to see she was happy. That was all he ever really wanted for her anyway.

"I wanted to talk to you." She sighed. "I…I'm sorry Stefan. I never wanted to hurt you. It was just...I was at a point of life and death and everything I was keeping buried inside came out. I was desperate not just to keep everyone safe…but to figure out what this was with him…and I know how incredibly selfish it was."

"Stop it Elena." He sighed. "It's just as much my fault as yours, it started when I relapsed on blood, maybe before that. We decided to push all the deeper stuff under the table and ignore it. I let that happen as much as you did. I didn't listen to you enough or make you laugh enough. I wasn't good enough I was too caught up in my own problems, to busy hating what I was to be there for you. I all but pushed you into my brothers arms."

"No Stefan stop it, this is not your fault I'm the bad guy here." Elena insisted.

"Never." He shook his head.

"Yes." She said walking up to stand face to face with him staring in his eyes. "Listen to me."

"Stefan I lied." Elena said. "I lied to protect you, I lied because I was scared of my feelings I lied for so many reasons but the point here is I am the liar. I knew there was something between Damon and I for a long time, but I couldn't face it because it scared me so much. I didn't want things to change because I _did l_ove you but I lied when I said it was _only_ you. Had I just been honest then I would have saved you so much pain."

"I knew the truth and tried to ignore it too. You weren't the only one. I knew you would never want to betray me and banked on that to keep you. That was selfish on my part because if I'm being honest, your my brothers redemption keeping the two of you apart made _me _the bad guy Elena."

"Maybe no one is the bad guy Stefan." She said gently. "It's just a messy horrible situation but the heart does what it does you know."

"And yours loves Damon." He sighed.

"Yes I do and Stefan you love Katherine." Elena said her voice soft. "Trying to fight it or hide from it won't make it go away. In fact it only hurts more every time you fight against it."

"But it's _Katherine_." He said throwing his hands up in the air.

"And I could be saying that to, but I don't because look at far Damon has come for love…you don't believe the same is possible for her?" Elena asked.

"Yeah I do." He said looking down.

"We could all die tonight." Elena said. "Maybe you should tell her before it's too late."

"I don't know," He mumbled. "Maybe."

"I did love you. It wasn't about her. You know that right?" He said.

"Yes I do." She said. "I loved you, and I always will in a way, just not in that way."

"I'll always treasure the time I had with you." He said kissing her cheek.

"Me to Stefan." She said giving him a long hug.

"Let's go to the boarding house." She sighed wiping a stray tear from her eye walking out of the house.

"Hey what are you doing here anyway?" he asked.

"Long story, but Damon is pissed. " She said glancing at him he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fair warning." She smirked.

* * *

Damon practically jumped Stefan the second they stepped into the house.

"You idiot! You realize what you did!" He sneered holding Stefan against the wall.

"Damon let him go!" Elena commanded.

"And they're back." Alaric joked.

Damon reluctantly let Stefan go who surprised him by cold coking him across the face.

"You son of a bitch." Damon got up and started for him.

"Stop it." Elena commanded putting herself in-between them.

"This is like watching a rerun with a so, so replacement." Katherine quipped.

"Shut up." Both Damon and Elena said at the same time.

"Elena move out of the way, thanks to that idiot we're here starting from scratch." Damon said.

"Beating each other up solves nothing." Elena said crossing her arms.

"He stole my girl, I punched his lights out I'm good." Stefan smirked at Damon. "So _how_ exactly did I mess up your plans?"

"You hardly punched my lights out." Damon muttered sweeping across Elena to grab Stefan by the shirt. "Want to try and stake me you don't have a chance now little brother."

"Damon please." Elena sighed.

"I'm not going to fight you." Stefan said pulling back from Damon. "Watch," He took two steps to the left away from Elena. "That's me stepping aside; now let's figure out how to save her okay?"

"Really?" Damon asked raising an eyebrow.

"Really." Stefan nodded.

"I don't trust you." Damon crossed his arms.

"I just want her safe and happy. If that's with you that's okay." Stefan sighed. "Right now we just have to get through Klaus we can't do that divided."

Damon gulped and nodded walking over to the liquor cart.

"Elena I can't believe you're back!" Caroline exclaimed. "Sorry I couldn't contain it anymore."

"Hey." Elena said sheepishly facing her friends. "I'm sorry you guys..."

"Stop it, it's okay we're just glad to see you!" Bonnie ran up and hugged her, Jeremy and Caroline joined her.

"So what did you guys have planned?" Katherine asked glancing at them with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"We were going to lure him and trap him." Damon said.

"No kidding." Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Could you be any more specific than that?"

"Let's just say we have a secret weapon." Damon said. "A meeting was set up between Klaus and myself. I struck a deal and then the news came about what you guys were planning."

"Oh my god." Caroline exclaimed. "We didn't even realize you were planning something too."

"Did you think we were just vacationing?" Damon asked. "Of course we were planning something."

"I meant at the_ same time_." She glared at him.

"I wish you would have trusted in me." Bonnie sighed.

"I did but I didn't want to lose you, any of you." Elena said softly.

"Well did you think I was just going to let it go?" Bonnie said. "No way, I have to defeat him it's my calling."

"You're right it is." Elena said. "I found out some interesting things."

"I know about the link Elena." Bonnie said.

"Bonnie I can't lose you." Elena started.

"You won't." Katherine said. "We won't let her die; she can get her strength from us. I always knew about your link but I'm linked to her too. We are going to make her stronger."

"Strong enough to deactivate a sun ring?" Damon asked.

"I think so, I need the spell." Bonne mumbled.

"That was your plan?" Katherine asked. "It won't work; it's going to be night."

"We have sunlamps." Elena smiled.

"Sweet." Jeremy chuckled.

"Do they work?" Caroline asked.

"Yep." Damon said, "Tested it myself. But maybe we should double check let Katherine test it out."

She pouted at him and crossed her arms.

"But it will be like a spotlight he can just duck it, we need a witch to weaken him so we can try to keep him still. We only have one witch." Stefan pointed out.

"That's where these will come in handy." Elena said passing out syringes.

"Vervain?" Katherine asked.

"Better." Elena said.

"White oak?' Bonnie asked.

"Dead blood," Damon said.

"_Ewe_," Caroline grimaced.

"It can make them temporarily immobile, so if we can weaken him, and get close enough to stab him the spot light will work." Elena explained.

"We're still short a witch." Katherine said.

"But we have this." Alaric held up the dagger.

"Who dug that up?" Damon smirked.

"Who else." Alaric said with a cocky grin.

"Nice." Damon grinned. "Plan B then."

"No plan A I'll just rush him and stab him." Alaric said.

"No." Damon said sharply. "No one get to close to him until he's been weakened. Klaus can kill you in seconds, any of you."

"Careful Damon you sound like you care." Bonnie said wryly.

"Elena wants you all alive so I'm telling you how to stay that way." Damon shrugged.

Stefan glanced at his brother and smiled slightly he nodded at Elena who noticed the look.

"Right now I'm concerned about Elijah's part in this." Elena said. "What are you guys supposed to do tonight?"

"Just show up." Caroline shrugged.

"That's it? Just show up you didn't ask him to _elaborate_?" Damon said incuriously.

"I told them not trust him." Katherine said.

"Oh right I'm sure you were very _helpful_." Damon snapped.

"Look, we have to consider the fact that they could be working together." Katherine said. "Maybe all Elijah wanted to do was lure you out Elena."

"You thought that for a while haven't you?" Stefan suddenly shot up glaring at her. "You never thought to warn us?"

"I tried Stefan you cut me off remember?" Katherine snapped back. "I just knew we couldn't trust him, I figured he wanted to end the curse and then kill Klaus…I was going to help you stop him."

"Why should I believe that?" Stefan asked. "Huh? Maybe you're working with them too."

"Klaus took everything from me. I've been running for 500 years Stefan, after everything I told you, how can you even say that?" Katherine asked.

"Because all you do is lie..." He started.

"Stop using Katherine as a scapegoat Stefan." Bonnie spoke up. "When things go wrong you don't always have to seek out someone to blame. Let's just figure this out."

"I wasn't..." He started then looked at Katherine's eyes which were sad and hurt and …_human_ he stopped.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"It's okay." She shrugged. "This sucks."

"But it's salvageable." Elena assured them.

"How?" Stefan asked.

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Our secret weapon's here." Damon said smirking slightly. Elena looked relieved as she hurried to get the door leaving everyone confused.

* * *

_**Just a few chapters left! Hope you liked the return! Please review!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

"I can't believe this is happening." Elena whispered.

"Listen to me." Damon stopped her they were about to leave the boarding house. Everyone else left already they didn't want Elijah to know they had all come together just yet.

"I'm not going to lose you tonight whatever I have to do." He promised her.

"You're not dying for me." She sobbed. "I'm not losing you either."

"Just take this." He handed her a syringe, "It's my blood, if worse comes to worse and they try to bleed you out, use it."

"Okay." She agreed kissing him softly. "Damon I need you. You have to fight not just for me for you okay? Please?"

"I love you and I'm going to save you tonight, that's _all _I can promise you." He said his eyes sweeping her face.

"Damon a life without you just wouldn't be worth it." She begged him wrapping her arms around her neck, "Promise me you'll fight for both of us."

"Elena please don't do this okay?" He said wiping her tears up with his thumbs. "My only focus right now is on the woman I love not myself. If I die tonight, I die happy because I found true love once and that was with you. I don't want you to be miserable or sad but to be happy and alive if that happens."

"No Damon." She protested tears streaming down her face. "I'll never forgive you if you die tonight, I won't!"

"Sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "Don't say things you'll regret right now okay? "

"Then you don't either, tell me your confident that we'll win that no one will die. That you won't die!" She said stubbornly.

"I don't make promises I don't know if I can keep and you know that. Am I going to try and live tonight? _Of course I am_. I haven't had anywhere near enough time with you yet, but Elena if it's me or you. If the only way to save you…I don't need to finish that and I know that you understand that." He said.

"I do of course I do and its one of the things I love about you, your so unselfish when it comes to me, you're willing to do anything for me including die and the thought of being without you I can't breathe...I cant..." She started sobbing her face red.

"Shh, shh." He soothed her holding her tight against him and rocking her.

"I love you Damon." She sobbed.

"I love you too, Elena." He sighed pulling her into an embrace and kissing her head.

"If you two are done with the goodbyes, I plan on winning tonight if you would like to join me." Ben interrupted them.

"Yes we would." Elena said tearfully.

"Okay so we need to teach Miss Gilbert some Zen." Ben said glancing at Damon.

* * *

Stefan led the group to the secluded spot Elijah had directed them too. He started feeling apprehensive as they got closer.

"What is that?" Caroline gasped looking at a large pole of some kind jammed into the ground a dark figure was slumped up against it.

"Good evening." Elijah smiled at them Jonas and Luka behind him.

"Come on over." Elijah called.

"I see the ruse is all set up." Stefan gulped looking down in horror to see the slumped up figure was Tyler.

"I even have a werewolf." Elijah smiled.

"Tyler!" Caroline gasped.

"Since you're friends why don't you take a seat next to him?" Elijah suggested.

"No!" Stefan protested but Elijah had grabbed hold of Caroline and tied her up next to Tyler.

"If he phases he will kill her!" Stefan started towards her but Elijah stopped him.

"He won't he has too much wolf bane in his system to change tonight." Elijah said.

"Now for the witch." Elijah said, "I need Bonnie to kill Klaus, so I'm afraid this is where you will need to take one for the team so to speak Jonas."

"What?" Jonas gasped.

"Luka come forward." Elijah said.

"I won't let my son be a part of this!" Jonas protested.

"It's just a ruse to get Klaus dad. I'm fine with it." Luka said taking his place he allowed Elijah to tie him up while Jonas looked on nervously.

"I assume you need me?" Katharine stepped forward.

"No, I'll wait for the real doppelganger to make her appearance." Elijah smirked.

"You son of a bitch!" Stefan yelled. "So you are working with Klaus?"

A slow clapping started them all and they all looked on as Klaus walked into the clearing a young woman behind him who looked down at Luka and then Jonas an stifled a cry.

"Dad!" The girl yelled out.

"Let her go!" Jonas shouted.

"Your witch is quite pushy." Klaus commented. "So where is Elena?"

"She hasn't made her grand appearance yet." Elijah said. "I'm expecting some type of ambush."

Stefan raced for the center to untie Caroline but was blocked when he got near her.

"Jonas put a shield around the sacrificial circle." Elijah said. "Penetrating it is pointless and he simply doesn't have enough strength to take it down alone. I am the only one that can get in and out."

"Tricky I like it." Klaus patted Elijah on the back.

"Why is Luka in there? What is going on Elijah?" Jonas asked his face pale.

"We are breaking the curse of course Jonas. You haven't figured that out already?" Elijah asked.

"Not with my son! You promised me I did everything you asked Elijah," Jonas pleaded.

"I haven't broken my word your daughter is right here safe and sound and so is your wife elsewhere of course. We will release her and your daughter once the curse is broken just as agreed upon." Elijah said.

"But Luka..."

"An unfortunate causality I need a witch to sacrifice." Elijah said.

"Take Bonnie!" Jonas urged and Bonnie took a sharp breath.

"It won't work she's related to the witch that cast the spell she can't be used." Klaus said as if bored. "That means you get a choice papa what will it be son or daughter?"

"You can't do that to him!" Bonnie gasped tears filling her eyes.

"No, pease Elijah I thought we were friends.." Jonas pleaded.

"We had a deal I haven't broken it." Elijah said simply.

"Make your choice now time is running out." Klaus said.

"I won't choose between my children." Jonas sobbed. "Take me."

"No your children aren't strong enough to help us." Elijah said. "I'm afraid you will have to do as Klaus says and choose."

"No don't choose Jonas! You don't have to. Stop them help us, help us fight them!" Bonnie begged him.

"Bring it on; we'll kill you one by one." Klaus sneered.

"Help me weaken him you can do it Jonas, you can save both your children." Bonnie said clasping her hands and chanting focusing her energy on Klaus.

"If you work with them we sacrifice your son and I'll just kill your daughter here and now." Klaus said his fangs on the young girls neck suddenly.

"No!" Jonas screamed in agony.

"It's okay dad I understand, save her." Luka cried out.

"Choose!" Klaus screamed,

"You're a bastard Klaus!" Katherine screamed suddenly grabbing Bonnie's hand as she chanted desperately trying to weaken Klaus before Elena, Damon and Ben showed up.

"Don't choose Jonas work with us!" Stefan yelled. "Don't let them do this to you."

"Choose now." Klaus came down closer Stefan started running for him but Elijah pushed him out of the way easily.

"Lucia." Jonas sobbed desperately. "I choose my little girl, Luka I'm so sorry..I'm so sorry."

"Now that that is settled." Klaus tossed the girl aside who started sobbing into her knees.

"Keep chanting Bonnie." Katherine whispered gripping her hand tightly.

"So just one thing left." Klaus said turning around and sniffing the air.

"That would be me." Elena stepped out of the clearing and walked up a few steps.

Klaus walked up to her slowly sniffing her distastefully.

"We have to bleed her dry, she's bonded." Klaus said.

"I figured as much." Elijah said impassively.

Klaus reached up to grab her and was blocked.

"I have a cool shield too." Elena smirked at him looking completely calm and relaxed.

"Who is doing that?" Klaus turned around looking at Bonnie who was still focused on her weakening spell. "Jonas?"

He looked up from the ground where he sat sobbing and shook his head.

"Get up you fool and remove this shield from the doppelganger." Klaus demanded.

"I don't think I can." Jonas stammered.

"Do it!" Klaus yelled.

Jonas started focusing on Elena rubbing his head as if he has no idea what to do. Elijah just watched with an amused expression on his face.

"You made a mistake back then didn't you?" Elena asked Klaus staring into his eyes.

"What me?" Klaus looked annoyed.

"You loved her too." Elena deduced. "You loved Charlotte to and when you turned the warlock you thought she would turn to you, but you were wrong. You want to end the curse for revenge because you lost her, but it's all your fault that she died."

Klaus's face vamped out angrily and he lunged for Elena but hit a solid wall when he got near her she jammed the syringe of dead blood into him and he gasped and stumbled. Damon rushed out from behind her and lunged for Klaus throwing him backwards and far away from Elena.

Damon jumped on top of Klaus and clawed at his throat with one hand reaching in his pocket with the other he tossed keys at Stefan.

"Go! He yelled,

Stefan caught them easily and took off in a sprint.

"Elena come here!" Katherine screamed at Elena who was staring at Klaus and Damon in horror. "Now to help him you need to help her."

Elena turned to see Bonnie chanting hard blood running down her nose, she raced over to them knowing she just broke the shield spell Ben set by moving. he only had time to perform a weak one.

"Take Bonnie's other hand, we make her stronger." Katherine said.

Elena did as she was told and took Bonnie's hand, she immediately felt a sensation similar to when Damon drank from her but not sexual. It was more a familer vibe an energy pulling them togethar, she felt a connection to both Bonnie and Katherine and Charlotte, Oksana…

"I can feel them." Katherine whispered.

"Me too." Elena said.

"They're glowing." Jeremy gulped looking at Elena and Katherine who were both indeed starting to glow and Bonnie was chanting louder.

Klaus managed to get the upper hand as the dead blood wore off and pushed Damon off of him the two men faced off in protective crouches. Klaus lunged for Damon his teeth clamping down on Damon's neck. Damon ripped a tree branch from above him and jammed it into Klaus's side. Klaus seemed angered by this pulling it out and throwing Damon backwards against another tree.

"Faster Bonnie make him weaker." Elena cried.

"Let her focus." Katherine whispered.

Klaus jammed the branch towards Damon's heart but found it blocked and unable to get through he tried again and again and Damon just smirked before pushing Klaus backward with all his strength. Klaus thudded against a tree; Damon rushed towards him with more dead blood and stuck it in his neck. Klaus slumped against the tree immobile.

Damon stepped back when he heard a truck coming from the distant and suddenly Elijah was behind him his hands on his neck.

"No Damon!" Elena shrieked letting go of Bonnie's hand.

"No Elena she has to keep going or Klaus will get stronger." Katherine screamed as Elena started running.

Elijah suddenly feel forward and Ric stood behind him holding one end of the dagger he had just stuck through Elijah's heart. He let go and allowed Elijah to thud to the ground.

"Bravo I was going to have to kill him after this now you saved me the trouble." Klaus said coming to and moving again.

"Elena get back here!" Katherine screamed.

"Elena! Bonnie!" Jeremy yelled seeing Bonnie's nose bleed heavily again.

Elena raced back over to Bonnie and took her hand.

Klaus was already advancing on the three men. Jeremy held up a syringe full of dead blood and was ready but Klaus kept circling looking from one to the next prepared to rip any of their heads off.

Klaus's ring suddenly sparked just as a truck came rolling into the clearing.

"What the hell?" Klaus looked at his ring with an odd expression on his face,

"Now! Stefan!" Damon yelled.

Stefan blasted the light at Klaus and he screamed as his skin burned he jumped out of the light quickly.

"More Bonnie just a little more," Katherine prodded.

Bonnie had blood coming out of her mouth now and Elena sobbed ready to stop her.

Jeremy looked at Bonnie and rushed Klaus stabbing him in the side with the dead blood Klaus almost stopped him and hit the side of Jeremy's face but Jeremy jammed needle in before he dropped to the ground from the force of the vampires hit.

"Come on Ric." Damon said pushing Klaus back into the light this time his skin turned red and lit up in flames. Stefan shut the light off and jumped down. Walking over to the center all that was left of Klaus was a pile of ashes.

"You okay Jer?" Damon helped the kid up who nodded.

"We did it." Stefan breathed.

"I can't believe it we're all alive." Damon shook his head incredulously

"I'm glad your alive brother.' Stefan admitted.

"Yeah me to." Damon said.

"No!" Katherine screamed.

Elijah was up and had Elena he tied her to the post next to everyone else. Katherine rushed him but he pushed her back. Bonnie struggled to get up but she was weak. He stood above her holding a knife. Jonas was holding the dagger tears in his eyes.

"I had no choice." He said. "The curse has to be lifted."

"You son of a.. " Damon snapped his neck and grabbed the dagger heading towards Elijah.

"No!" Elena screamed horror on her face.

Ben seemed to swoop down from nowhere the dagger out Damon's hand and in his own hand before Elijah could even comprehend what was happening it was through his heart.

"Ben!" Elena sobbed as both Elijah and Ben thudded to the ground in ashen heaps. Damon dropped to his knees his hand over his moth and his eyes wide in disbelief.

Bonnie crawled over to Ben and leaned over his body.

"The seal is broken now that my dad is gone." Luka chocked out us nose bleeding. "I lifted it."

Stefan nodded and motioned for Alaric and Jeremy to help him untie everyone.

Katherine untied Elena and helped her walk over to Damon, Elena took his hand and the two of them joined Bonnie over Ben's body.

"Is he okay?" Stefan asked Caroline after untying her and Tyler.

"He's drugged up and going to be freaked and confused." Luka said.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Jeremy asked.

"My dad's dead and my sister is traumatized …because he was going to kill me. Revenge isn't on my mind right now." Luka said.

"Let him go to his sister." Stefan said and Jeremy nodded.

"Care; can you take Tyler to the boarding house?" Stefan asked Caroline

"Yeah of course," Caroline said hosting him up.

"I'll help." Alaric offered giving Stefan a nod. Stefan and Jeremy walked over towards Ben.

* * *

"He…wants you to know this was his purpose. He fulfilled it and died happy fulfilling it. If not this way he would have had to kill himself because he's simply not supposed to exist." Bonnie said quietly. "He wants you not to be sad for him. Elena he also said he lied he wasn't supposed to exist in this life but once upon a time in his old life he did love someone and she died for him, now he has died for her and he believes they can be together again now."

"Oh my gosh." Elena gasped drying her eyes. "He was _the_ warlock, the one Klaus turned."

"But I thought that warlock was staked." Katherine said.

"He _was_ don't you see?" Elena said. "He was born again to ensure the curse stood to ensure Charlotte didn't die for nothing."

"That's so sad." Bonnie cried and Jeremy put an arm around her.

"He was a good guy." Damon said.

"It's so unfair that he had to die." Elena cried Stefan took a step towards her and then backed up when Damon pulled her into _his_ arms and started stroking her hair.

She's not mine to comfort anymore, he thought swallowing a lump in his throat and walking away.

"You okay?" Katherine was beside him.

"It's over we're all alive." Stefan replied.

"That wasn't an answer."

"I know." He said. "It's been a crazy few months."

"Yes." She agreed.

"I love you Katherine." he said.

"Finally," She smiled.

He laughed and kissed her it wasn't hot and passionate this time but soft and gentle he pulled back faster then she wanted.

"I need tome to figure this out." He said.

"By this do you mean us?" She asked looking almost nervous.

"Yeah, I do." He said.

"Stefan, do you mean it?" She breathed standing close to him her breath cool on his face.

"I'm not promising anything, but I think maybe you and I should take some time together just the two of us, go away and figure out what if anything we could be together now." he said finally.

"Okay, you're on whatever you want." She smiled happily crushing her lips down on his eagerly he took her in his arms and responded back with just as much passion. We're alive he felt his body screaming stop wasting time.

* * *

"I'm sorry about Ben." Elena sad quietly she was sitting on his bed, Tyler was till out cold everyone else was downstairs having a celebratory drink. Waiting for him to wake up so they could explain everything to him.

"Me to." Damon said sitting with her. "But if you're right and I think you are he is with her now. I believe that."

"I do to." Elena said. "I like it better then what I thought in the apartment when we first found out about her I was afraid I was Charlotte's reincarnate."

"Nope you're just Elena." He said flopping down beside her.

"Just Elena?" She raised an eyebrow.

"My beautiful, angelic, sweet, princess Elena." He corrected himself with a cheeky grin.

"That's better," She smiled. "I'm still mad though."

"Why?" He pouted.

"The dagger Damon." She stressed.

"I told you Elena." He sighed. "Don't make me feel bad about that I feel bad enough that Ben died for me when I was trying t die for you."

"That's just it why did anyone have to die for anyone?" She cried.

"Ben explained it Elena, he cannot live and he's going to be happier with her. You know that honey, I'm sorry I almost died tonight for you, I know how terrible that would be for you but I couldn't let Elijah kill you."

"I know." She sighed, "I believe she is with him now."

"I do to." He said kissing her cheek.

"So in the end it all worked out as fate intended?" She said glancing at him.

"I guess so." He mumbled looking surprised.

"Why does that surprise you?" Elena asked.

"I just can't believe I got the girl." He said pulling her close and kissing her head.

"Believe it." She said kissing him passionately.

"I love you so much," He returned her kisses laying back and pulling her on top of him.

"Show me how much," She mumbled into his mouth.

"I will." He flipped her over and smiled down at her, "Today and everyday forever."

* * *

The end~

_**I** **hope you liked the story, it was just meant to be a little minific and grew quite a bit. I enjoyed writing it and it was fun to do own little doppelganger story before we see the real thing. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! Please let me know your thoughts!**_


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